To Start a War
by ThatOneTard
Summary: On Hiatus. With the Akatsuki split, Naruto joins forces with Nagato and the Taka to bring peace. But even with the Rinnegan, Sharingan, and Bijuu on his side, winning the war after losing so many battles won't prove easy. When Naruto started this war, he never considered the consequences...until his new family came into the picture. NaruHina SakuSasu
1. PROLOGUE: NARUTO'S RETURN

**DESCRIPTION OF TO START A WAR:** _ **With the Akatsuki split, Naruto joins forces with Nagato and the Taka to bring peace. But then the dead became part of the equation. Even with the Rinnegan, Sharingan, and Bijuu on his side, winning the war after losing so many battles won't prove easy. When Naruto started this war, he never considered the consequences...until his new family came into the picture. NaruHina SakuSasu**_

 _ **RATING WARNING:**_ _Seeing as how the last fanfic I wrote the rating jacked up from T to M, I was a bit conflicted on how to rate this. When it comes to the language aspect, it will be kept tame, so while that factor is K-worthy there will be plenty of suggestive themes, enough to push the rating to T instantly. And then there will be references to illegal syndicates and interrogations...but mostly violence. Let me say that again. There will be blood, and there will be violence._

 _People_ will _die._ And _be born._

 _I am a firm believer of Disney's_ "For every laugh, there should be a tear." _Meaning I_ want _you to experience_ both _. Laughter too, so don't think this is going to be nothing_ but _...well, a gritty war._

 _ **NOTE ON NARUTO'S EXTRA ABILITIES:**_ _Just because the story description has the words Naruto, Rinnegan, and Sharingan in the same sentence,_ _ **that doesn't mean I'm going to give Naruto any of those powers.**_ _No._ _**I DO NOT do that,**_ _but I have given him the Uzumaki's ability, their power to summon chakra chains, and a variation of his father's jutsu. The ability to teleport, except instead of being able to teleport to a spot branded with a seal or kunai, it's his DNA. And as for the Sharingan and Rinnegan being on his side, that's simply to say he has a strong alliance with both Sasuke and Nagato Pain in my version. He will also have some moves that he's picked up in his travels from different lands or people._

* * *

 _ **STORY PREMISE:**_

 _What if Hinata had never confessed?_

 _Events in history were forever changed when Pain attacked the village of Konoha, destroying it and succeeded in capturing its host, Uzumaki Naruto. As the village fruitlessly sought after him and began rebuilding itself with a new Hokage, Danzo, reigning, Naruto remained imprisoned in the Akatsuki's hideout, eventually unwilling to leave a lost Sasuke behind._

 _Befriending Sasuke's team, Taka, Naruto grew accustomed to being a part of their group, regardless the circumstances. In the meanwhile, the masked man brought him closer and closer to the truth of his past and origins until a final confrontation between them became fatal, ending Pain's trust with Obito altogether. Kabuto came into the picture, order was lost._

 _Spiriting Naruto away to his village, Nagato forced Naruto to face the fact that Konoha was no longer the same village he knew and the embodiment of everything that it had originally fought against was now wearing the Hokage's mantel. A battle between the Pains and him ensued and his bond with Kurama and the other Bijuu grew exponentially. But even then it took nearly sacrificing himself for the clash to end altogether._

 _Desperate to make everything right, he convinced Nagato to put his faith in him, resulting in his freedom and Kakashi's revival. But this came at a cost...Naruto returned home briefly, making Hinata his, then allowed himself to be taken into Konoha's custody, further laying out his plans. Later at the Kage Summit, he announced his birthright and independence then declared war, unleashing chaos on their world and changing it forever in the aftershock..._

 _This is the story of that aftershock, and how he must fight the most seemingly impossible obstacles to protect everyone...and his budding family._

 **_-XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX-_**

 **TO START A WAR**

 **_-XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX-_**

 _Their world was teetering on the edge of chaos. The five Kage were just about ready to rip each other's throats out and if he didn't make the next move, Obito would..._

 _And better him than Obito._

 _He stood, exposed before the five Kage. Shoulders squared, and feet planted firmly against the table, surrounded by those seated there, and he declared: "As son of the Fourth Hokage, ambassador of the Rain, and host to the greatest Tailed Beast, and extension of the others...To the Kage of all nations and all those who'd threaten peace or seek to gain the Bijuu as their own...To Obito and the Kage, I..."_

 _The boy's eyes closed, it was not too late to stop this. He still_ could _, he could save himself yet. But he didn't. He put such fear-filled and feckless thoughts behind him with a deep settling breath._

 _"Come at me and_ me alone _with everything you got because I DECLARE WAR ON YOU ALL!"_

 _Chaos unleashed in torrents, and somewhere in it he caught his enemies single red eye. In that single-second glance, that single eye screamed:_ I will destroy you.

 _And he smirked._ Go ahead and try.

 **_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_**

 **_-xXx-_**

 **PROLOGUE-The Beginning of the World's End**

NARUTO'S RETURN:

 **_-xXx-_**

 **_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_**

 **.**

 **(ONE YEAR LATER)**

 _._

 _Chaos._

This was Yamato's thought as he strode through the bleak halls belonging to the headquarters of the Intel Division. The grey tiles of which were contaminated by a trail of blood and discarded weapons, all of which were wet. The windows lining the walls were broken, letting in some of the pelting rain that had suspiciously come from nowhere.

 _Chaos. That's all that rascal is. An embodiment of discord._

Yamato knew very well who had broken in. And who the bringer of this unnatural rain was.

" _Captain,"_ a voice buzzed in his ear. Yamato repositioned his radio earpiece to better hear the speaker, an Anbu member. "What is it?"

" _We caught him."_

"What?" he barked, halting midway through a step. "What do you mean you _caught_ him?"

" _We caught him planting a device in the fourth quadrant. He's now being confined to room A-13."_

Yamato shook his head. The rascal was uncatchable. They didn't get their hands on him unless he _wanted_ them to. This was obviously a ruse of some sort. He was a hobgoblin of hidden agendas.

"Don't let anyone speak with him until I get there."

" _Affirmative."_

Goodness knows he had rendered enough Anbu useless with just his tongue.

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

The figure flew in the pelted darkness, leaping with inhuman speed along the whipping tree branches, dashing forward, even as the wind fought against them. And it did, whipping and lashing in harsh movements. Such fine chakra precision to advance through it all was unheard of, even by the Hokage's standards. Up above them, a crow screeched. They were nearing their objective. Through their pants, a smile broke free.

 _Finally..._

Suddenly, a flash and a cackle of lightning exploded, cast in the skies as if by an angry god. Wood splintered, speckling the air in front of them. They skidded across the ground, cursing.

"Not so fast," a voice spoke. A figure soon followed the words, crouching on a huge branch above. Covered by darkness and a cloak, the white of his mask was the only thing that stood out. An Anbu member. One who stood a bit casually for his profession.

"Well, well. Came for the strong source of chakra and its intruder, and look who it is. Never thought I'd catch you like this."

He didn't need to remove his mask. Who he was was clear.

"Hatake _Kakashi_..."

His eyes shined from the recognition. "We've missed you."

"Listen, I don't have time for you." The atmosphere turned harsh. No. Desperate. And dangerous.

" _Get out of my way_."

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

Entering A-13, Intel's most secured cell-like room, Yamato took the room in as the smell of concrete and paper assailed him. It had been more than a year since he had used it for interrogation purposes for this particular young man. And unlike last time, numerous members of the Anbu Black Ops stood guard directly around the center where a metal table, a chair and its occupant sat, cuffed.

Seeing the heavily-guarded occupant, Yamato wasn't surprised to find the young rogue watching him, his elbows resting on the metal table coolly and a huge grin stretched out on his pale face, regardless the rings of silver encircling his wrists. What did surprise Yamato was the array of deep slashes - defensive marks - slit into those arms and the gash on his cheek crossing with the scar centered there.

Seeing them, Yamato instinctively stared at the wounds. The slashes were fresh and bleeding. And deep, as if the attacker had struck him in rage. Such damage was not akin to either the Anbu's or Ibiki's interrogation style. Someone else had done this. Recently. And this mysterious someone was seriously dangerous if they could land such nasty marks on the even _him_.

For a moment, the only sound was the harsh rain, beating across the ceiling. Yamato pulled up an extra chair to the table but didn't sit. Instead, only planted his palms flat on the cold surface, gaze still not leaving the captive whose smile widened.

"Oh hey, Captain Yamatoooooo," he drawled. "Howzit goin'?"

"Don't put up an act, Naruto. And get your elbows off the table. You're getting blood all over it."

Naruto chuckled, feigning a demeanor of innocence. "It's not mahogany, Cap.."

Yamato rolled his eyes. "I am no longer your captain. What are you doing here, Uzumaki?"

His questions on the boy's state could wait.

"That's Namikaze, dang it. _Namikaze_ -Uzumaki," he hissed defensively. "And as for what I'm doing here?" Naruto shrugged. "I was just missing home. Can't I even visit without—"

"You're a rogue. You haven't set foot here in over a year. Instead you've spent it outside, busily building up your little _kamikaze_ reputation." Yamato threw a folder at the table. Stamped on the front cover was Naruto's name. His personal file, overflowing with incriminating details. Naruto shook his head.

"Again, for one thing, it hasn't been a _year_ , and for another I ain't a friggin' rogue! Geez, can't you people get _anything_ right? And last I checked me and my team's operations are actually helpful. But is _that_ filed in there too?" His eyes narrowed icily, contradicting his following and very exaggerated playful "Nah!"

Yamato fought the urge to rub his temple. _He's been hanging with the Hachibi's Jinchuuriki again..._

Sighing, he murmured, "Tell me then, why have you still avoided Konoha even after all this time, Naruto?"

"Because Obito wasn't the only one I declared war on."

"My point exactly. And not only that but you even dragged _others_ into your mess."

Again, Naruto shrugged, casting his eyes to the door in seeming disinterest. The fact he was cuffed to the table and guarded was no variable whatsoever to him if he chose to leave right this moment. By now this dance was just mere procedure and nothing more to the escape artist.

His feigned cool was harshly broken, although, when the doorknob rattled.

Breath catching, he tensed dreadfully. From under the table his hand slid to his thigh, fingers twitching over what was no doubt a hidden blade. So slightly, anyone less keen than Yamato would have missed it.

And for the first time, Yamato saw true _fear_ in him.

And that made Yamato afraid.

When the intruder turned out to be Ibiki, Naruto breathed a huge sigh of relief, before masking his previous anxiety with a goofy grin.

"Man, Ibiki, just you."

 _Something is wrong, here. Seriously wrong..._

The head of Interrogation chuckled, taking his place across the Jinchuuriki in the chair Yamato had prepared. "Just me, kid? What am I? A cuddly plushie?" He began rummaging through Naruto's file. "This is gotten fuller since last I went through it..."

"So?"

Ibiki was anything but someone to feel relaxed around. A hulking brute of both mass and height. Not to mention he didn't make it to the head Konoha's Interrogation Unit unscathed, and the scars on his face highlighted this truth. He was a person to fear, and yet, Naruto was completely at ease around him, like he was just a civilian and not the person who could render this night a very sleepless one.

Then again, Naruto was already reportedly an insomniac, one who had some nasty enemies who made Ibiki look like child's play. No, that wasn't right, Yamato reflected. Naruto's enemies made Ibiki look like a doting granny.

But he had never been truly afraid like he had just shown...

Ibiki's smile turned serious as he shut the file and turned to Yamato, murmuring, "Sorry I'm late. I was checking the perimeter. No sign of his team. Namikaze's actually here alone."

Naruto laughed, his smile wide and artificial. "I could have told you that, buddy."

Ignoring him, Yamato nodded, and Ibiki leaned forward, studying Naruto closely, offhandedly scribbling a few notes on his own file. "So solo this time, huh?"

"Yup."

"It's been awhile."

"Yeah, so where's my welcome party? I want Ichiraku...super-sized, if you don't mind."

Ibiki chortled. "Same drill kid. Clear some things up and I'll consider it. Heck, I'll even treat you myself, two servings."

Naruto smirked and propped his feet up on the table. Leaning the chair back slightly, he chuckled. "Tempting...But it's either three at least or it's nothing."

Ibiki grinned. "Very well."

With the introductions out of the way Yamato cleared his throat. "Naruto, no games this time. What do you _really_ want here?"

Naruto sighed, giving the room a long glance before settling on Yamato in an expression of boredness. "This is it in a nutshell: I want any files Konoha has originating from Uzushiogakure or filed from my mother, Uzumaki Kushina. I need them."

Not so much as a flicker in his chakra, a telltale hint of a shinobi's dishonesty. Heartbeat normal pace. And no sign of his pathetic attempt of a poker face. This both captain and Intel head noted, the latter documenting it down.

Yamato's brow raised. "Why now?"

"Should be obvious. Before being butchered, they were the most elite sealers. I need to find a certain seal, to find one that has the power to...well. To do something for me."

"You want to free the Kyuubi," Yamato guessed.

Naruto blinked. "Wow, you're pretty good, Cap. Wow...Howdja...?"

"Tell me why," Yamato snapped.

"Yeesh, okay. So I just want it, okay. And preferably one that doesn't kill me in the process. I've literally searched the world over for any method that could separate us, but ..." He threw his hands up in defeat, as much as his handcuffs would allow. "No luck, man. But even so, I promised Kurama his freedom...And I don't mean to sound selfish but I don't want it come at the expense of my life, y'know."

"Again, Naruto. Why now?" This time it was Ibiki who asked.

"All you need to know is that I need it," Naruto said. "Now run and get it and I'll be on my way."

"That isn't how this works, Naruto." Regardless their not-too-pleasant time together, in this same room no less, Ibiki rather liked the kid. He always had. He admired his ability to not talk. With information at least. With anything else he put the babbling of brooks to shame. To the point of being annoying. Or rather, before the Crystal Incident. After that—

"Even if we had such secrete scrolls, why would we turn them to you?" Yamato asked.

Naruto gave the room around them a long glance before he said warily "I was hoping...since you owe me one, you'd—"

"I don't owe you anything."

He lowered his feet back down, and leaned forward, an angry expression on his face. "When you were captured, who was it that got to you first, Captain?" Naruto persisted. "Your _precious_ Hokage, or the prisoner you were ordered to bind with that wood jutsu of yours? I mean we're supposed to be a friggin team, Captain."

Yamato looked down, refusing to acknowledge the faintest trickle of guilt threatening to surface.

"I risked my life, _everything_ , going back there for you and I got scars for it." For emphasis he traced a finger along his arm, ignoring the dab of red he smeared across his skin in the process. "This one I got while freeing you from his jutsu. And this?" Another scar. No more words needed to be said.

"I'm sorry Naruto, I really am," he sighed, words and expressions completely earnest, regretful even. "But the day you were taken Team 7 was no more. And just because you two are back, that doesn't mean the consequences can just be reversed like that... And I never asked you to make such a risky move for me, and it was a risky move on your part. A terribly stupid one."

"But I _did_ it. And helping me now is the least you can do."

"Naruto," he said slowly. "Even if we had such scrolls, you would have already stolen them like you have every other one from the classified archives."

"Ugh! I don't steal! I _borrow_! There's a huge freaking difference!"

"Please."

"And here, take them back, well except the documents on my birth. I still need to fix them." He began reaching for his wrist. Gasping, an Anbu guard rushed towards him, pointing a spear at his throat threateningly. "Nice try, host!"

Naruto paused, glancing at the wall in an annoyance. "Captain Yamato, you need to get your men under control."

Yamato rolled his eyes. "Pull back."

On his word, his guard reluctantly complied and Naruto finished what he had intended to do; pulling a pile of scrolls from the sealed band wrapped around his left arm, much like Sasuke's. His right was also covered, but by bandages, serving only to hide the skin there. "See? No shuriken. Just scrolls. "

The Anbu scoffed.

Yamato reached for one of the parchments and studied it. Reading the description label, his eyes widened and he nearly stuttered, "W-what? Even I don't have the clearance to read these! How did you..."

Naruto's lip pursed. "Really? I don't see what the big deal is, that one was just some tedious report on—" An Anbu rushed towards him again, this time whacking him on the back of the head. "You will not speak of its classified contents!"

"Ow. That hurt," Naruto complained. "You _do_ or _don't_ want me to talk. Make up your mind, dude!"

"The host would be wise to remember we are bound by obligations and protocol and unlike him we won't break them."

"Your problem. Not mine." Naruto turned his face towards a clock hanging on the wall, obviously counting the numbers on it. "Hey Yamato, ya got them or not?"

Finally Ibiki could no longer take it.

"That's three times you've looked at the clock," he declared, warranting a flinch from Naruto. "Got something _planned_ for the evening?"

Recovering, Naruto tapped his fingers on the table. "Nah, it's just it's getting pretty dark out pretty early, you know, seasons changing and Konoha always looks amazing around twil—"

"True the warm colors are a sight to admire. But there's no window in here."

Naruto swore, but quickly recovered. "I think it's dinner time. Clock says so and I'm famished. Where's my ramen?"

Ibiki smirked. "I don't think so."

Naruto growled. Ibiki had him.

"Really, why come here first, unless you needed such scrolls now? Someone's chasing you. That's why you're insistent on you and the Kyuubi being separated as fast as possible. Someone is _forcing_ your hand."

Again, Yamato sensed the unease surfacing. He nodded to Ibiki. The interrogator could take over.

"Who says I'm being chased?" Naruto said, face impassive in attempt to play this game right. "That's an awful big leap for you to take."

Ibiki leaned forward again, fingers rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Well, since up until now you've had no such desire of freeing the Kyuubi yourself made known to us, the village who would want to contain it. I'm assuming there's a new player on the field, one who wasn't there before. One who's good. Very good. Enough to hit you, which explains the cuts on you. You were just in a fight, weren't you?"

Naruto said nothing. Just pulled the sleeves of his dark military-styled shirt down. "Again, you're making assumptions, 'Biki-man. I got these...sparring. You know how Sasuke...is."

Ibiki gave a laugh. "It's amazing you two've lasted on the same team this long, with your highly conflicting views on justice."

"Yeah, it's actually that we fought over just a few hours ago. When he found out Danzo was somehow still alive...Man he was _ticked_!"

The Anbu in the room stiffened. He would surely be back to try to finish the job, with or without Naruto's support.

Ibiki sighed, smiling. "You're mixing truth with lies, Naruto. A clever new tactic, but one I already know about."

Again, Naruto flinched. "What? We really did fight recently. And that's exactly the reason I'm alone right now."

"Trying to hide a lie by covering it up with a true account, truly a way to get past lie detection. But here's the thing, Naruto. I'm not an amateur. It's a tactic famous in the Sound where it's my understanding you stayed for a few weeks after the Summit. And not to mention..." He paused for emphasis, clearly enjoying this. "Your awful poker face is back." Younger Naruto would have squirmed, but eighteen-year-old Naruto just shifted.

"So..."

"And then there's the things I can _see_ , Naruto. Those cuts on you? Someone was going at you with the intent to seriously injure, only missing your arteries by millimeters. That's either insane luck or extreme precision. Also, those type of cuts don't match Sasuke weapon preferences. Perhaps a wide weapon? Definitely not the common blade."

Naruto said nothing.

"Then there's the state of your clothes."

 _Wait.._., Yamato thought, looking at the young man closer this time. _That dirt coating him...matches the soil from the west. Far,_ far _west._

Ibiki had already pieced together what it meant, its color and consistency.

"Here's what I think. You were in a fight recently, but not with Sasuke. No, this was with someone else, far away, why else would you have rushed here from such a great distance? The soil on you, it doesn't originate from the Land of Fire. Ours' is a big land and you would of had plenty of time to wrap up those cuts of yours getting here from where that soil originates."

Naruto closed his eyes, sighing. He had gotten _really_ careless.

"Therefore, you were chased and so panicked you were that you didn't give yourself time to report back to your base and recover or even to update your team which explains why you're here alone. Instead, you came here first. Why? I would love to know, but for whatever purpose you let yourself be captured with the intent to find out the whereabouts of these scrolls you assume we have, the ones you claim could have the power to separate you and the Kyuubi..."

Sensing what this all boiled up to, Yamato murmured, a bit ruefully, "Meaning they didn't kill you because they're after Kurama."

Ibiki nodded. "And by your rush...this new guy wants him _now._ "

Naruto nodded, expression darkening. "Well. I always was a bad liar. I'll admit that you're right...I screwed up bad. I..."

The following quiet in the room felt smothering as Naruto slid his fingers along his forehead, obviously not wanting to continue his account.

"What happened, Naruto? Who _hurt_ you?"

He shook his head.

"Naruto," Ibiki said. "We already know this much, now we need to know who is the new player. The faster you get on with it, the faster something can happen and we both get what we want. Dilly dally...and we'll have to resort to _other_ methods."

Naruto's fingers froze but his facial expression remained impassive to Ibiki's threat.

Ibiki shook his head. "We both know such methods will only be a waste of time and energy. I don't want more sessions like last year's."

"'ight," he mumbled. "It was supposed to have ended, it _should_ have, I mean we were _so close_ to the finish but, I...I couldn't stop it from happening. I couldn't..."

Yamato and Ibiki exchanged a glance.

Finally, after a long moment of silence, Yamato just said it. "Is it the Fourth?"

Naruto shifted after a long pause of awkward silence, head bowed. "...No."

"Who? Just tell us and we can help you. And get you bandaged up. You have serious wounds that need proper attention," Yamato urged, switching tactics. Scaring him wouldn't work just as much as torture methods wouldn't. " _We'll help_ , Naruto. Just _talk_ to us."

Naruto exhaled slowly, opening his eyes. "No."

"Why? Give us a good reason."

"This is my battle. Mine and Kurama's."

"You can't keep trying to be the shield to the world, Naruto. Especially now that you're a..." Yamato couldn't even bring himself to say it. Just stood there, mouth open before he quickly closed it, his sentence left unfinished.

Ibiki and the Anbu watched him with puzzled expressions. "Captain Yamato?"

Naruto chuckled a little. "Guess I couldn't keep _that_ in the dark from my captain."

"Yes. And you can't keep hiding—"

"I'll tell you what I told Kakashi-sensei. You have no room to lecture me on what's left behind for safety's sake."

"You sound like you're still trying to convince yourself of that, Naruto."

Sighing deeply, Naruto nodded. "Honestly, I am. This was never what I wanted. It was just the only way, but still, at the heart of it all, all I've _ever_ wanted is a _home_. To go there. But I can't. At least, not right now."

"You're the one who stopped that from happening." This was so sad it wasn't even funny. "You really need to stop and think about this path you put yourself. You are _not the only one_ it's affecting."

"I am, Captain Yamato. _I am_."

The haunting seriousness of his tone and expression sent a chill down Yamato's spine. Barely had he registered it when the cuffs clattered to the ground. Yamato cursed. They were going to lose him again!

"Wait, Naruto!"

But he was fast, sweeping under the spear of the nearest Anbu. Without even a sound, he pushed a powerful thrust of his palm into the man's chest, knocking the wind out of him. Before the man even hit the floor and more could be taken out - and Naruto _would_ take them out, very quickly - Yamato dashed forward, grabbing him by his dominant wrist in a single movement. "STOP IT!"

Ibiki was also up, his chair spilling over as he latched onto Naruto's other arm. His voice boomed threateningly, "You're not escaping again _._ "

Hissing, Naruto twisted himself back.

And that's when Yamato realized: Naruto wouldn't risk getting captured. Not by this new enemy, nor Konoha.

Without a second more, Yamato shoved Naruto against the wall with a quick snap of his wood jutsu, binding him there. He had only seconds, so his fingers moved quickly, undoing the bandages until the skin of Naruto's wrist was exposed.

And bare.

Ibiki let out a curse and Yamato gritted his teeth.

Naruto narrowed his eyes, flickering free from Yamato's lock and stood off, rolling the long black sleeve down. "I'd appreciate if you never did that again," he hissed. "I like to keep that covered."

The remaining Anbu moved, only to be stopped by a harsh glare and sudden seizure. In less than a second, Naruto was behind him, arm wrapped around their neck. "Listen carefully, _Anbu_. I'm done here. Oh, and Cap...?"

Yamato swallowed, frozen solid by the sudden harsh change in Naruto's demeanor. "Yes?"

"I had naturally assumed you guys would have the scrolls and would lead me to the correct ones, but I wasn't completely sure so there are bombs scattered around different points of the village as a contingency plan, located right where the confidential archives are. So unless you want the rest of the Hokage's dirty secretes in the wrong hands, I would go find them. Pronto."

Yamato gritted his teeth. Naruto just had to pick bombing up from the Akatsuki.

"And if you come after me..." He released his hostage, pushing him down. "I'll detonate them."

And just like that, he was gone.

One of the remaining Anbu stirred. "Sir, what was on his arm—No—ah! The Jinchuuriki, he's—!"

Ibiki sighed. "Don't fret over it. It was just a shadow clone _._ "

"A shadow clone? How do you know for sure, sir?"

Ibiki shook his head. "Can't say. Medical confidentiality."

"But he's a criminal..."

"At the time of his initial medical and psychological examination, he was just a recovering abductee. The files were updated by none other than by Miss. Haruno herself."

"But she's..."

"Not important. What is, is that he's gone. He shouldn't have been able to teleport." He glared at the man accusingly. "Was he not _injected_ beforehand?"

"He was, sir, witnessed it myself..."

Yamato rubbed his temple. "He must have bribed the medic to switch the drug when we weren't looking..."

"Wouldn't be the first time." Ibiki sighed. "In any case...Captain, you know him better than I do. Should I send Anbu squads after him first? He'll still be in the village, most likely at the Hyuuga Estate."

Yamato shook his head. "Don't bother. The real one probably got to her hours ago and is long gone. Just find those bombs. They won't be in the proximity of any civilian - that goes against his moral code - but still... _Find them_."

Suddenly, an Anbu burst through the room, door slamming into the wall behind him. "Captain! We have a triple S-threat!"

Looks like Naruto's demon had followed him straight to the village.

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

To the south, a crow screeched. A dark-haired man gave pause in his track. Somewhere in the proximity of that bird's shriek, a presence like none-other loomed. His target, and not far off.

Around him, the once quiet village was being swept with fuddled shadows, Anbu scurrying around in vain. Looking for a single person. They wouldn't find him, at least not in time.

And they would get in his way...His fingers danced into movement, weaving seals, his lips forming into the first shape of the syllable that would soon spell out a dangerous and widespread jutsu to destroy them, " _Katon—"_

He never finished.

A shift of chakra.

Target changed, he disappeared in the shadows again.

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

"Hours ago" was only a bit off. By, well, a few minutes.

Hinata stopped frigidly in her steps when she sensed it. A strong presence, approaching, just behind the shoji door in front of her. For an instant, she saw the faintest flicker of its shadow through the blue-tented paper.

Swallowing, she placed her fingers on the end of its wooden frame.

"Ko?"

No answer. The only thing she got back was a strong scent of blood, growing stronger by the second.

Fear gripped at her. Whoever was in there was not her Hyuuga guardian, neither were they a Hyuuga at all, the only people who should be at the Estate this late.

Focusing her chakra, she uttered, "Byakugan." Her field of vision instantly changed, showing the inside of the next room in x-ray vision, inside of which she could see light blue lines from the chakra veins of a man. She did not completely recognize its pattern. It seemed sporadic, and powerful. Familiar yet odd.

But a threat all the same.

"A Zetsu," she whispered, eyes narrowing. Squaring her shoulders, she braced herself, raising her hands in an offensive stance.

But out of nowhere, the intruder's presence was suddenly behind her, seizing her wrist and she let out a startled scream.

 _How fast!_

" _Shhh!_ " the villain hissed, cold digits clamping over her mouth.

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

"Hatake _Kakashi_..."

Her sensei's eyes shined from the recognition. "We've missed you...Sakura, dear. Leaving like you did wasn't very polite, or even like you for that matter."

He gazed at her, expecting an answer, and no doubt-taking in her battle-worn appearance. Her fists were bloodied as were her clothes; her longer hair in disarray, but bound by a thin cord in attempt to tame the light strands.

"Listen, I don't have time for you," Sakura insisted swatting her hand. She started again, attempting to run past his block. He let her go, allowing her to enter through their village, pushing past the civilians—tourists were rarer these days, and not to venture out this late at night, so slipping through them all wasn't that big of an event.

Then again, a number of the people out, including the guards at Konoha's gates, were unconscious, something Kakashi instantly became suspicious of. So he continued following right behind her. Her expression became frantic when it became clear he wasn't going to leave her alone until he got an explanation.

"Get out of my way!" she exclaimed. She made a quick turn in attempt to lose him, and he regretted that he no longer had his Sharingan. Still, the Anbu was not to be underestimated. He quickly leaped to the nearest building—an apartment complex—and jumped down, swinging himself across a light pole, right in front of her. This didn't even deter her as it might of in the past.

"What's the rush?" he asked, pushing his chakra nearly to its limits trying to keep up with her chakra-boosted speed.

"Naruto's in trouble!" she called, leaping over a wall. He quickly pushed himself up after her.

"What happened? Where is he now!?"

"There's no time to explain! But he's in serious need of medical attention! And he disappeared before any of us could do anything!"

So he was alone, this Kakashi took in with a sigh. "Where is he now?"

"Issuing a Code Black—" this almost stopped Kakashi up and he swore— "And he's not going to stop until he reaches her. She's in danger!"

He didn't need to ask who "she" was.

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

This wasn't the first time the Hyuuga Heiress had been attacked in her own home. She used the assailant's own momentum against him, swinging him over her shoulder. He smacked back-first into the ground, arm painfully gripped in her pale fingers. She thought she heard a crack, but her Byakugan told her otherwise.

She let her Byakugan vision fade just enough so she could the see intruder's outer appearance, to identify him. She didn't gasp as she took the appearance in, the short blond hair, the fiery blue eyes that would have shot euphoria into her any other night. The Zetu was in Naruto's form, a stunt she wasn't going to be fooled by again.

"Who sent you this time, huh?" she demanded, tightening her bone-cracking grip, ignoring the groan that matched the sound of Naruto perfectly. No, she would not fall for it, not his looks, not his sounds. Not again. "Kabuto?"

"It's me, Hinata!" he groaned out, squirming underneath her. Hissing, she swung her palm towards the Zetsu's chakra center, preparing to cripple it with her Gentle Fists style. Realizing what she was attempting to do, the fake twisted free last second with insane strength, whipping his arm free.

"It's me!" The Zetsu exclaimed, hopping up and blocking her counterstrike. He lunged for her arms, puzzling her for a moment until she realized their goal must be to capture her _alive_. But dead or alive, it wasn't going to happen, she swung her feet towards his, tripping him. And he fell, tumbling clumsily. She wagered that this wasn't his first fight tonight and it showed. This Zetsu must have fought the Hyuuga guards and her neighbors to get to her. It left him tired, and sloppy.

But the Zetsu's plight ended now. He wasn't getting past her.

" _Gentle Step-Twin Lion Fists!"_

The power of her chakra lit up the room in purple-flickering blue chakra; the Zetsu's spasmed as it got sucked into hers and he crashed through the screen doors, ripping through them and landing in the next room.

He recovered fast, bouncing back up and leaping at her with the momentum. They crashed into a dresser, his hands holding tightly to her wrists. She groaned, trying to twist from his persistent grip.

"Shhhh, keep it down! It's me, Hinata!" he repeated, fighting against her struggles. "Stop it!"

"Let go of me!"

Inexplicably, his hold loosened for just a moment, and this was all she needed to allow her to escape his grip, and slam a Gentle Fist into his chest. Hissing, he fell back. But she wasn't done, her hands raced up all his tenketsu chakra points, closing off and crippling every single one of them.

"You're not getting him!" she exclaimed landing on him in his fall. She quickly set herself on top his sternum, knees locking around his sides and hands holding his wrists down in opposite directions, panting. He was panting too, staring at her with his fiery blue eyes... Sweat dripped down his face.

This was the first sign that something about this Zetsu was a little off.

Zetsu looked a lot like humans, but they didn't exert perspiration or any other kind of bodily discharge like blood. And this one was covered in both blood and sweat.

If he wasn't a Zetsu, then he was a ninja using a transformation technique, or so she told herself, feeling doubt begin nip at her. Gritting her teeth, she tightened her hold on him. "Who are you?"

"Hinata...," he rasped. "It's me. I swear it is! The real deal!"

She stared down at him, heart caught mid-beat. And he stared at her, directly in the eyes, his body warm underneath her, chest rising and falling quickly. "It's me, okay." He wasn't fighting back, or struggling against her hold but...It could all be a ruse to gain her trust. To fool and hurt her again.

"How am I supposed to know for sure?" she whispered, the grip on his arms almost trembling. She wanted it to be true so bad...To be assured that what she felt deep down was right, but if it wasn't...

"The cat."

She blinked.

"I'm the only one besides you who knows our code."

Her lips trembled. "The thirteenth?"

"Some say cat, but me, personally, relate to the fox...Take your pick. I'm also one of the few who know what you're fighting so hard to protect that's a couple of rooms down. He's about three months old now, isn't he?"

He. _Him_.

She felt tears well up in her eyes. "Three months, five days."

He smiled softly, in a way only her Naruto-kun could. "Sounds right."

Hopelessly, she began to cry. "Oh, I'm so sorry I thought you were the enemy! I can't believe I just..."

He nodded with a grimace. "Yup. And for the record, I didn't just get my butt kicked by a girl. This totally did not just happen..."

She laughed, all her tenseness melting into pure happiness, and high on it, she fell into him, too happy to express in words how relieved, how blissful! she was, not caring they were both out of breath and covered in sweat from the scuffle.

Finally, they were together again. _It's done. It's done._ And he smiled as she lay on top him, and began kissing her, moving his lips from her cheek to her mouth. Pressing into her desperately, clinging as if she would disappear if he did not.

A year was a long time. Especially for him.

Shifting, a bit nervously, she leaned up.

Grinning still, he teased, "Not that I don't mind this... _position_ , but I'd like to be able to move, honey."

Blood raced to her cheeks and she jumped off with a yelp. "Oh, I'm so...sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry about." He laughed, at her embarrassment, which caused her to blush more. "And whaddya do to your hair?" he added, raising an eyebrow. "It's...short."

She giggled, touching the ends of her hair. She had it cut to shoulder length. "I got tired of it getting pulled..."

His eyes narrowed. "Who the—"

"He doesn't know any better, and I didn't always remember to tuck or tie it back."

"Oh." Sobering, he attempted to sit up but ultimately failed, landing back to the floorboards with a groan. "Man, you Hyuuga's and your Gentle Fists are no joke. And I'm guessing you've trained with Sakura, too..."

"I'm sorry," she mumbled, setting herself beside him. "She's been a great help with her medical knowledge."

"She is," he agreed.

On that, she set to reopening his chakra and pressure points. He grimaced but lay through the process pretty well. When it was over, he sat up and embraced her in a tight hug. It seemed as if he would never let her go. He was trembling, absolutely trembling.

And it hurt.

"I'm so sorry it's been so long," he whispered into her shoulder, his scent enveloping her. "You're more...on edge than I've ever known you to be." He pulled back, a look of regret on his face. "You've been attacked by someone in my form?"

She nodded. "Repeatedly. But I should have known it was you."

He gave a grim nod. "Hinata...I would _never_ hurt you. _Ever_."

Her face drew down, unable to speak her feelings out loud. _Not physically, at least. But..._

She did how ever inquire, "Though, why is the Kyuubi-I mean Kurama's chakra dammed up?"

His expression became one of sadness as he got to his knees in preparation to stand. "My attempt at extra protection. Don't really know what else I _can_ do right now."

"But it's over now, isn't it?" she asked hopefully, extending her hand out to him. He grabbed it, and managed to get back to his feet with her help. "You're _home_. After all this time...And oh my gosh! You're _hurt_!"

Now that she knew the intruder wasn't a Zetsu, the cuts visibly lining him alarmed her greatly. There were nicks on his face, hidden by a layer of dirt, even his hand which she held was slick with blood, and his limbs and clothes were in even worse shape. Just where had he come from like this?

He rolled his eyes, yanking his hand back. "It's fine. I'll have my medic patch me up later, right now we've got more important things to take care of."

She looked down bitterly. "It's not over...Is it?"

He buried his head in her shoulder. "I'm sorry...but it's not. It's a Code Black. I've already made sure that Nagato and Konan went into hiding. The Bijuu statue—not even in this dimension...I think. Now there's just you and him left to take care of."

Her heart stopped beating. "But..."

His fingers encircled her face, lifting it. "You are the only thing they would need to undo everything I've spent a year fighting for. We can't afford that risk."

"But I've protected myself thus far," she protested. "What could be worse that we wouldn't be able to handle?"

He didn't answer her question, only spoke further of his safe house plan. "You have to get away from any village with a shinobi force. Just stay away from them, find one that's either too small to be known, or as off the grid as you can get." He then spoke ruefully, pulling away from her completely, "And from me. _Especially_ me. Get rid of any connection, allow no recognition, and above all, keep him and yourself _safe_."

"But I'm just now seeing you again! I just can't up and leave the estate, what about—"

From the next room a shrill small voice began crying.

Naruto froze, his eyes wide. Expression a mix between sadness and pure bliss. "That's..."

She nodded. "Our baby...It figures he's up. It's about his feeding time."

Behind the following shoji door, was her bedroom, filled with toys and tissues, and a crib. The cold colors of the Hyuuga no longer dominated her room with bleak greys and whites, and lonely blues. In the past few months, it had been changed to more friendly warm colors, perfect for the perfect child. A child she would do anything for.

Naruto reached out, as if to enter their son's room, when a noise sounded from behind them. They both turned, to see a Hyuuga man, dressed traditionally, with white eyes and dark hair. A most common and dominate trait even in present day.

Ko, her faithful guardian.

"Hinata-sama," Ko said, hesitantly. "I thought I had heard some noise...I wasn't aware you had a...guest."

Naruto and him exchanged a brief look, the older man not quite sure what to think of the blond's sudden appearance, and the father a bit wearily towards the other man who was reaching for his son.

"This is Ko," she explained. "Remember him? He's been helping with the baby. Besides my immediate family, Father and Neji, he is the only Hyuuga who knows about him. Outside the family, only Kurenai and Sakura know of his existence. They've all helped me so much, protecting him from the uppers of the village and Hyuuga. And from Obito's attacks."

He had also helped her out greatly, conversing and helping out when the nights got hard or stressful, and they did tremendously at times, both before and after her son's birth, but she didn't say this out loud, for fear of worrying Naruto further.

Naruto nodded. "It's safer this way, or at least until the war's over and I can have some words with the elders about it."

Obito was no longer a problem. _Others_ were.

He glanced to Ko. "You have my thanks."

Ko nodded. "And thank you for allowing me to see the first freed child." The band covering his forehead suddenly seemed a lot heavier. "It's been a privilege."

From inside the swaddle of saffron threads in the elder man's arms, light blond hair stuck out, and an almost musical "goo" followed.

Naruto let in a sharp intake of breath, taking the noise in, and smiled. He started reaching for his boy, yearning to finally hold him in his arms...When he stopped, hands hanging midair. Crimson dripped down them, tear-like.

Hinata gently tugged Naruto's hand. "Ko, can you please get the first-aid kit and lay him in his bouncer. I'll feed him in a moment."

The Hyuuga bowed. "Yes, Hinata-sama."

The man disappeared into the hallway with the child, leaving the couple alone. There was a clap of thunder outside, lighting the room up and Naruto froze frigidly for a moment before chuckling. "Made me jump. Certainly a night out, isn't it?"

It was an artificial smile. And he was somehow paler than he had been a second ago. "What has you so spooked?" she asked, looking him in the eyes. "Tell me."

He surprisingly answered after a short while. "I just...I can't bear the thought of losing anyone else."

"I'm not going anywhere...And you know this, so why Code Black? What could possibly get worse that I would need to go into hiding for?"

Naruto's following expression as he looked at her in almost an air of hopelessness gave her the chills. Something was seriously wrong.

But then he shrugged it off again. "What's his name?" Then a bitter laugh. "It's pathetic I have to even ask. It's just...you've never mentioned it so..."

She smiled grimly. "I wanted you to be here to name him."

Naruto paused. Then giggled. "What in the world do I name him? After a Hyuuga? My Hokage father? Whatever I call him, he'll live with for the rest of his life."

She hummed in agreement. "You should get to know him first, then. He's such a sweetheart. Lively, precious...He's my honey. But," she said. "He _needs_ his father. And I my husband."

"I know," he mumbled. "I want to stay with you, and I want you to stay here but...This ain't like when I was a kid, and until it's over I'm just endangering you and him and if something happened to either of you I would never forgive myself. Hinata...It would _break_ me. "

"But we—"

Suddenly, a great crash noise sounded, as if the house itself had been ripped apart, Ko shouted and the most terrifying presence filled the air, room subsequently dropping a few degrees. And somewhere in it, their honey started screaming bloody murder.

"It's already too late," his voice snarled behind her.

"The baby!" she screamed, already running...but Naruto's absence at her side made her halt, she turned around, eyes wide to see him pulling out a thick, ancient looking scroll. Thrusting his hands on it, blood flicked from his fingers, glowing with chakra.

"What are you doing?" she gasped.

"I'm so sorry for what I'm about to do. But I have to contain what I can—or a lot more people are going to die!"

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

They were quickly nearing the Hyuuga Estate. This late at night, the great estate was mostly pitch but a few Hyuuga forms could be seen near lighted candles and lanterns. Their lights flickered deep behind the safe recesses of screen panels, completely oblivious to the incoming dangers that would rock their world.

The particular room that they were heading for was unique, in that it was nearly in the most centermost point of the estate. That of the heiress...Assuming that he still knew that she still retained that position after she had betrayed the Hyuuga clan's marriage traditions. Traditions he would no doubt try to eradicate when he became Hokage.

Suddenly there was a great flash and a great colourful barrier rose up from around the place of her dwelling.

Sakura skidded to a stop. "Oh no," she muttered. "We're already too late!"

Kakashi stilled, sensing a nasty presence in the air...and it wasn't from the barrier, although that seemed to be emitting some energy itself. The barrier was one that he did not recognize but he could already tell that not only was it a long-lost forbidden kind as even he didn't recognize it, but it had to be an S-Rank at least. _That barrier, he must have picked it up from the Uzumaki clan ruins._

"That idiot!" Sakura hissed. "He can't do this on his own! DANG IT! STUPID IDIOT!"

Up above them they heard a swish of movement. A giant white bird was gliding across the skies, heading their way.

Sai.

Sakura on the other hand, was still too riled to see there was still a way to reach him. "That idiot! He KNOWS he's not able to seal him away yet! And he's in no shape to fight! But he just had to—"

Kakashi grabbed Sakura's shoulder, shaking it. "Sakura! All jutsu have a weakness. This one as well. We'll break it!"

"But how!?"

The Root member leaped down. "Kakashi. Naruto's—"

"We already know Sai, hurry, if we're going to reach him before it's too late, we're going to need your wings!"

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

"I'm so sorry for what I'm about to do. But I have to contain what I can—or a lot more people are going to die!"

After a great flash, the only thing she could see was glowing colors outside the window, hovering within the rain. A barrier.

"What are you doing?" she repeated. Why was he doing all of this? Why was he was _trapping_ them?

Before she could attempt to puzzle the answers, he was already dashing off towards where the screams had come from.

Refusing to tuck tail and hide she raced after him. Seeing her, he must have known he wouldn't have been able to dissuade her because he called over his shoulder, "Which direction is the breaker box?"

Confused, she pointed to the general direction. "Why?" But they had reached the baby's room before he could explain himself and once there, she wished the setting desperately away.

The atmosphere alone was enough to put fear into the most hardened of individuals. It reeked of blood, and seethed in darkness. The room was shredded, the furniture split clean into parts, and in the midst of it, a man stood, calmly. In a gloved hand was a strange wide weapon. A gunbai, she realized, and possibly what was used in a dramatic spin that tore the room apart. And holding it still, he stood casually, as if he had been expecting them, and not the least bit warily after his trek here.

Behind the man, her guardian stood, sporting deep gashes across his front, trembling with the baby held protectively in his arms. He gasped out, "The K-Kyuubi's not here!" before he noticed them. His pale eyes widened when he did.

The intruder noticed the couple as well.

"There you are," he spoke in a simple tone, his back to them. There was something almost hypnotizing about his voice in its cool calmness. "The Kyuubi host of this generation. Our meeting was cut short last time."

Naruto's following swallow was audible and his expression did nothing to hide his fear, it hovered over him as his hand clamped around his wrapped wrist, shaking slightly. Regret, fear, and even abashment, all the more to thicken the tension smothering the air like a fog on a bleak night.

 _Our meeting was cut short..._

Realization dawned on her. This was the assailant that had Naruto running. No one made Naruto run. No one, yet...

Hinata glanced back to the intruder, wanting to understand what was happening. Long hair graced past his back in spikes of ebony that blew softly in the wind coming from a rift now torn in the wall, and under his mane of hair was a barely visible Uchiha crest, adorned proudly on his back, free from the armor he was wearing. Such armor placement spoke of arrogance, as if he challenged anyone to get him from behind.

And really, that crest alone spoke of arrogance.

"I long laid out a plan for the day of my revival but..." He turned now, casting a stern look towards Naruto. He was, by many standards, attractive. A sturdy build, and perfectly shaped face. The only mar to such perfection was how his skin was deathly pale, and his sclerae were black, contrasting with the deep red of his irises. The eyes of the reanimated, those brought to life for death matches, and the Sharingan, those of the Uchiha.

The Uchiha who Konoha sent to their graves long ago. And this particular one, this strange enmity from the past...

Naruto shot a panicked gaze toward Hinata, mouthing, _Don't look in his eyes!_ She lowered her gaze, nodding.

 _Of all people for Kabuto to reanimate!_ His last and final trump card.

"The plan, my Infinite Tsukuyomi was simple," he continued, voice rich in both amusement and anger teetering on the edge of insanity, of chastisement towards Naruto, for, in his mind, was he to keep an Uchiha _waiting_ , "and most importantly, my plan was _absolute_. But, I wake to find things have not gone accordingly. Three crucial pieces have been...misplaced, one of which I'm told you bear."

Naruto swallowed, then in attempt to gather himself and reconcile the situation, placed himself between her and the reanimated villain. Meanwhile, he slowly pulled out his folded bow from the small of his back which also had a couple of blades strapped to it as well, having run out of room on his leg holsters.

"So you're here for it, then. Uchiha... _Madara_." He thrust his custom bow down, letting its limbs lock into place. Next he pulled out a strange arrow, that had some contraption on the point of it. He placed a battery in it, wincing when it shocked him. "How did you know to come here?"

Madara sneered cruelly as Hinata gasped at the confirmation of the name. She had been hoping it had just been some twisted genjutsu. But no, Naruto knew better. Had expected it. "I ask the questions, host. Now, you will account for what is mine, _Kyuubi_. The Hachibi's location and the Rinnegan. Once I have them, I will take care of you."

Hinata's eyes widened in horror, dread pricking her soul. _No, of all times, not now...Not HIM! Naruto's hurt! The baby!_

Naruto on the other hand, seemed to have found his confidence, perhaps it was knowing what was behind the man. The most precious possession he could ever hope to watch over. Confidently, he raised his weapon, drawing the string back and _wak!,_ the arrow was shooting out with lightning speed...towards the direction Hinata had pointed a moment ago.

It must of had some bombing jutsu on it as well because it shot through the wall in an explosion, contained by the barrier, and almost instantly, every light or electrical thing in her house blacked out. Leaving them nearly in pitch, the quiet only broken by the muffled cries of the baby.

 _To blind an Uchiha..._

"Who says I am, anyway, _dude_." He snapped his bow back into place. There was no room to use it properly in the space he had confined them to.

Now barely visible only by the flashes of lightning raging outside and the glowing red of the barrier, the Uchiha's lips curled in a mocking smile that made her blood run cold. " _Summoning Jutsu!"_

Naruto was sent to his knees, hugging his stomach in pain and gnashing his teeth. "Naruto!" She reached for him, only for him to shake his head, through his groans. She could feel him grab her hand, squeezing it gently before uncurling her fingers so her palm was out, as if to say _attack_.

"I'm alright. _Stay back_."

Another squeeze.

"The Kyuubi indeed," Madara said in a monotone voice. "Where is Nagato, the Rinnegan?"

Wobbily, Naruto began to stand. "Like I'd tell you."

Madara blinked, and even so minute a action like that put fear into her, because such expressions would precede his fury, a fury only rivaled and contained by the First Hokage himself.

Why couldn't Naruto just transport them away? Then it came to her. The baby. He would need to grab their son as well, and Madara was blocking him. Or perhaps he was in bad enough shape that his new technique was temporarily lost to him.

Her heart raced. This man was a monster. He would slaughter millions and not even care. Naruto had casted the barrier because of this, to lesson the deaths that would inevitably result from this man's revival. But even if Naruto had some master plan, he wasn't ready to seal such an immortal god-like shinobi away. They would need a whole team of ninja, and experts in each field at that.

As if sensing her fear, his grip on her hand tightened, and he said calmly, but loudly, "He's nothing to worry about, Hinata." He said it as if he was ignoring the monstrous entity in front of them. "Uchiha's are like _dogs_. Dogs fighting over who's Alpha, trust me, Sasuke and me do it _all_ the time. It's just a matter of starin' them in the eyes and establishing—"

Madara's foot swung in graceful but utterly swift movement, connecting harshly into Naruto's face. The impact sent him crashing into her and they landed in a pile.

The Uchiha scoffed. "You must be a fool."

"AUGH!" Rolling off her, Naruto rubbed the blood from his face. "You okay, Hinata?"

Displeased, the Uchiha almost growled as he wrenched Naruto towards him by his collar. "And to think, not only have you've hidden my Rinnegan eyes and the Hachibi away, but you've taken _my pawn_ , as well."

Naruto twitched at the comment, his fingers curling into a fist. But he smirked, playing it off. "Yeah, I did. By the way, I have a name. It's Namikaze Uzumaki Hyuuga. Naruto. Might want to remember that. The one who'll stop that little daydream of yours."

And then he was moving, fast. Hinata caught glimpses of him in the lightning, his silhouette slamming his fists and feet at Madara, throwing blades and slashing away, in moves that would kill a normal human, but even in the dark, the Uchiha was keeping up perfectly.

Silently, the Hyuuga Heiress uttered, "Byakugan." Allowing her to see their chakra as it spiraled and flared in the darkness like fireworks.

But Naruto's reserves were low, and his insistence to wall up the Kyuubi's tampered with his fighting. As for Madara's...she had never before witnessed someone with his levels. Naruto did come the closest of all those she knew, but that was with Kurama's reserves included as well.

Did he _want_ to fight Madara like this? Then Hinata realized why he was acting the way he was. He was trying to keep Madara's attention wholly on him and not at Ko who was attempting to sidle out in the shadows.

 _Yes...Get the baby out..._

Their clashing blades and gunbai seemed to light up the room in sparks, continually lit aglow by moves with chakra. Both of fire and gushes of spinning chakra. But each time Madara lit a flame, Naruto was made even busier just trying to tame it, and Madara knew this, relished it.

Feeling both the need to hover over her child, and to protect her husband, Hinata stared at her hand, which Naruto had unfurled. Attack. _Fight._

A shout broke through her panic-filled thoughts. Naruto was thrown across the room, where Madara grabbed him by his throat. " _Where_?"

There was a length of a pause, one Hinata knew better than to look up for. Ko was almost to the door...And the man sighed. "So you've trained against the Mangekyo. Interesting. But you will _still_ tell me."

Naruto let out a groan. "You're not getting any of them, you freakin' relic."

"Then I'll pull the Kyuubi from you right now." His hand pulled back, preparing to strip Naruto of the Kyuubi, his fingers glowing with Hn chakra. Hissing, Naruto's hands clawed at Madara's arm and...

" _Gentle Step-Twin Lion Fists!"_

This time, her technique lit up the entire room, blazing with chakra. She couldn't kill him, yes, but she had to at least try to help! And she ran, when all of a sudden she was sent flying, holding her stomach.

"Bothersome, woman," Madara thrilled.

"Hinata!" Ko called but it was too late. She crashed into a table, breaking it.

"Ugh..." Her vision flickered and she could feel blood ooze down her head.

The newly-formed Madara clone that had attacked looked down on her, eyes cruel, and measuring. The real one tightened his grip on the young man, squirming in his hold. "Tell me Uzumaki scum, is this Hyuuga your lover?"

Naruto hissed, angrily. "This fight is just between me and you—leave her out of this!" He swung a summoned-katana up, slicing the hands holding him off. But no squirts of blood came, only ash as the hands began reforming themselves.

"No." His reply was spoken in a nonchalant tone, and careless. "This is between me and the Kyuubi, you're just a mere _carcass_ in the way."

The Uchiha's knee sailed up, Naruto pushed his hands down to defend against it, when Madara began weaving seals now that Naruto was preoccupied.

"Crap!"

" _Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu!"_

A huge volley of flames shot out of his mouth, Naruto barely jumping out of the way in time. He landed near Ko, skidding across the seared floorboards. Behind him, the frame to the door Ko had been making his way to buckled from the flames, trapping him. And then it got even hotter, the baby screaming at this point.

Glancing to the Hyuuga and his son, Naruto gritted his teeth. " _Kage Bushin no Jutsu!"_

On his command, the clones surrounded Ko in a defensive stance. Under one's breath Hinata thought she heard him whisper, "You drop my son and I'll kill you..."

"I'll protect him with my life! But watch out for Hinata-sama!"

To both men's horror Madara kept his gaze on Hinata, a look of disgust on his face. "A Hyuuga and an Uzumaki. For one of the so-called great clans to abandon their heritage. What a whore. The village that Hashirama I created has degraded so much."

His hands, again, started moving, readying for yet another wave of a fire-based jutsu.

"I don't think so, hag." Naruto snarled, the skin around his eyes beginning to change to orange, his irises to yellow. "What you call degradation I call process!" He raced toward Madara , swinging his limbs at Madara in a variety of different styles in attempt to confuse him, all fast to prevent him from using ninjutsu again. Some of his strikes were modern, others obviously foreign like his tiger claw form. Hinata briefly recognized some of Gai's taijutsu moves as well.

"And you're wrong to underestimate the Hyuuga," Naruto hissed, arms locked in Madara's block. "Do it!"

He hadn't been talking to Madara when he had said the latter. Just as prompted, Hinata came from behind, the lion-shaped auras already formed all over again and glowing with all the power left in her. "NOW Hinata!"

The man's head was ripped off...until a chunk of wood replaced it. She sailed through the air, landing at Naruto's feet. "I'm so sorry," she exclaimed. _How can I land a blow when he can just foresee it?!_ Frustration boiled in her. She wasn't like Naruto, she hadn't trained to fight the Sharingan. No, her clan relied heavily on the very thing they surpassed with those eyes!

But he was right there, whispering, "Don't stop there!" filling her with newfound exhilaration for just a moment. Even hope. "Spin me!"

Nodding, she grabbed his arms, swinging him around. Carried by the momentum, his feet sailed into Madara's face, and before the man could recover, she came right behind Naruto, her Byakugan blazing, and her movements fast...but chakra-less. There would be no keeping up with her this time by just his Sharingan alone. Of course, without chakra's aid, the technique didn't quite work, but the two blades Naruto had thrown to her nearly helped make up for it.

Ash speckled the air along with stripes of paper-like substance.

Naruto actually laughed at Madara's temporary fix before joining back in, a massive Rasengan spinning in his hand.

"Hell hath no fury, eh?"

But that was when the scale tipped over to Madara's side all over again in the colorful flames of a huge and only partially formed rib-cage. A huge blade crashed down, distancing them from the man and the earth itself seemed to tremble in its wake, the floorboards splitting in different directions. Looking back, perhaps Naruto's barrier was the only reason Madara hadn't called the entire Susanoo into being. Or perhaps he didn't consider them worth the trouble.

"The Hyuuga did once nearly rival the Uchiha clan," he stated boredly, regaining his flawless appearance in the light of his strange jutsu. There was not a trace of wariness in his voice. Even after all their attacks, there was nothing to show for it.

"But they are no longer even a fraction of what the Uchiha are. We outpowered them eons ago." He glared at Hinata, causing Naruto to growl in clear anger.

Naruto raised his hands, fingers weaving into signs with practiced speed. "Those you call "whore" are gonna be the ones to send you back to where you belong! NOW COME AT _ME_!"

The man laughed. "You're a pathetic container, not even a full bred Uzumaki." The Rasengan shredded from the Uchiha's hand to his shoulder, yet he continued. "You have no hope of getting out of this the victor, unless you give me what I want." He used Naruto's position against him, flipping him face-first into the ground and locking him there. "Now, again, where are my Rinnegan?"

Naruto spat at him.

"I am loosing my patience with you, now. You are becoming _boring_."

Naruto grinned. "And I ain't gonna stop. And I'm guessing you ain't either, so let's just skip this part and move on to the next phase or this ain't ever going to end!"

The Uchiha glowered. "So you have inherited the Senju's infuriatingly annoying Will. That is unfortunate...For you."

Before Naruto could break free, a Madara clone ran for Hinata...And before Naruto could conjure all the chakra in him to teleport to her, the real Madara's eyes absorbed Ko's, and he swung his arm, the wide reach of his gunbai tearing through Naruto's clones until it struck its final target just as Naruto landed into Hinata, arms wrapped around her...

Blood sprayed on them and Hinata screamed.

Naruto frantically glanced back, shouting, "NOOO!"

But it was useless, with one second, one well-played move, Madara had won.

The man who had served as her guardian her entire life now lay on the floor, and the baby screamed in Madara's arm, a kunai pointed toward his wailing face. "I will give you one last chance, host."

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

"Sakura! All jutsu have a weakness. This one as well. We'll break it!"

"But how!?"

The Root member leaped down. "Kakashi. Naruto's—"

"We already know Sai, hurry, if we're going to reach him before it's too late, we're going to need your wings!"

Kakashi pointed upward. "If my hunch is right, there's a failsafe that's been altered into it, Naruto would do that. Up above, in the direct center, with enough force of both chakra and impact, it'll break and dissolve!"

Sakura nodded, raising her fists. "Right!"

The white and black ink bird crashed into the ground, lowing its smooth body and spreading its wings. "Get on! Quick!"

Inside the barrier, flashes of a fight could be seen in exploding blues and reds. They had to do this quick...Kakashi pulled out a scroll from his pouch, praying it would be enough.

The bird flapped its wings and they became airborne. While flying towards the top, Kakashi explained further. "We have to do this together. Sakura, I'll need your strength, and remember, it has to be in the direct center or it'll amount to nothing! Then I'll have to use my Lightning Blade, understand?"

"Yes!"

"Now break it!"

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

From the man's arms the baby wailed, but Madara's eyes were glued to Naruto's as he held a blade close to the baby's neck.

Hinata looked him in desperation, but he was frozen there, eyes squeezed tight and brow furrowed in so many emotions. Anger. _Despair_.

There was no use begging.

Even so. "Madara, keep this between us." He threw down his weapons, letting them clatter to the floor. _Please. "Just between us!"_

The Uchiha scoffed. "You play surrender like a dog but we both know you don't mean it."

Hinata looked towards him, feeling a wave of helplessness, only to see him still standing firmly. Defiant.

"I made it to where I am the only one who knows where he's in hiding, Madara. Only me and nothing on Earth can force me to talk. And you know this! I will not give you the Rinnegan, the Hachibi, or Kurama. You will never have them again. That is my final answer. I will die keeping them from you if that is what it takes, and you will never find him through anyone else because I'm _the only key_ , Madara!"

Madara frowned. "You may be willing to die, but what about the life of this child? You would toss it aside for you idealism? The woman must disagree. How could a mother forsake her own child?"

Naruto remained resolute, eyes not leaving Madara's.

"So you don't care."

The clear streaks sliding down his cheeks signified otherwise.

"You kill him, you lose me for sure. That is the only middle ground. And when I'm gone, who knows how long it'll take for the Kyuubi to be revived! Then you'd have to search all over for those eyes and the Hachibi, and I swear on my life you will _never_ find them."

Madara's frown deepened. Hinata's insides burned, leaving her shaking. " _No_...Take me instead! Just put the baby down!" She ran for him, Naruto yelling, "No! Stop!" and Madara instinctively began weaving seals with just a single hand and a gush of Wood Style ripped from the ground, throwing her towards Naruto again, or rather one of his clones.

"You're useless, woman." The baby wailed and Madara didn't even bat an eyelash as a drop of blood slid down the baby's neck. The scratch was not deep but the threat was clear and she was forced to hold her cry in as Naruto held her. She struggled for a moment but the thought of the knife pointed at her son... "Now Jinchuuriki, you will comply with me or they will suffer for it."

His fingers were digging into his palms, but he still managed a resolute "No."

"So be it."

"Please, Madara," Naruto said through gritted teeth. He fell to his knees. "This is between me and you! I'm begging you, hand him to his mother and we'll take this outside the village. Just leave them out of this!"

He was shaking. Gold light started flickering from him, on the verge of breaking out into his chakra mode. Madara sneered cruelly. "I do things on no one's terms but my own. You _will_ obey me or bathe in the blood of those you care for most until I have my way."

The man paused, glancing up. "This barrier you created, even it will crumble, just as your rebellion will."

Madara lowered his blade only long enough to produce a vial that he then dropped to the floor. It rolled to Naruto who stared at it numbly. "I will take this sack of flesh with me. If you wish for it to reunited with its mother in one piece you will retrieve the Rinnegan and deliver them and the Hachibi's host, unconscious, to me yourself, and _alone_. If you refuse I'll slit its throat ." His eyes flicked to hers now, as she was struggled against the clone. "Then the Hyuuga whore's."

Naruto's control over his emotions, all the training he must have been put through, was the only thing keeping his trembling fists from swinging or his golden chakra from enveloping him in the Kyuubi's power. The only thing protecting their son from the blade held inches from his young, innocent body.

And one wrong move...So Naruto continued to swallow his pride. "Where?"

Madara grinned, pleased. "The Valley. I think you know the one, host."

And the Uchiha made to move, Hinata finally lost it, screaming "No!", running after the madman again but it was too late.

He. Was. Gone.

He disappeared through a transportation jutsu just as Sakura broke through his seal and the rest of Team Kakashi landed in. Just as he had said, the barrier broke, allowing him to transport out of there. And it didn't matter. He would have found a way out anyway.

It was over.

Kakashi started. "Naruto!—"

Naruto's more collected facade crumbled completely, the vial falling, and his fist slamming into the already broken up floorboards. " _No!_ "

Hinata timidly approached him, touching his shoulder. "I'm s-sorry. Ugh." And then she began sobbing into him. Her cries wracking through her entire body. "What have we done!? Ko...And the baby!"

He embraced her, burying his head into her shoulder for support as he too began to give in to the hopelessness of the situation and cried.

This was far worse than anything he had ever gone through. Far worse. This was a defenseless baby, his only hope or the destruction of the world as they knew it.

No. It couldn't happen.

"I'll get him back. I'll get him back," he kept repeating like a mantra. They remained like this for a moment, until finally Naruto somehow managed to get a hold of his emotions and glanced around at his teammates now surrounding him, all at a loss of words.

What had been a room with four living people, now was two. There was a great pool of blood soaking the floorboards, and Sakura didn't need to look at the source to know it was too late for that soul. The seal on his forehead long deactivated.

"Naruto," Sakura whispered after a long pause. "Let me heal you."

"Just as much as needed," he said, voice hoarse. "I can't teleport anymore like this."

"Where you planning to go?" Kakashi asked.

Naruto didn't answer. Just shifted his hold on Hinata so Sakura could began healing him. His head fell back to her lap, and he closed his eyes as her hands hovered over his sternum, glowing green with the power of her Kage-leveled Ninjutsu.

"Naruto, you can let the Kyuubi's chakra go now," she whispered. "He's long gone."

"Un."

From deep within, Kurama voice echoed. ' _ **I am deeply sorry, but you did the right thing, Naruto...'**_

"I should have listened," the Hyuuga whispered off to the side. "I should have fled the moment you said Code Black."

"Calm down, Hinata," Sakura whispered, even as her own eyes were starting to water. "Naruto, we can still remedy thi—"

"Shut up!" he screamed. " _This is all your fault_!"

He had not meant to say it out loud but he had.

Sakura pause in her healing and multiple pairs of eyes, her's and Kakashi, and Sai's, stared at him and even though he hadn't verbally specified to who he was yelling at, his arm that was wrapped over the seal on his stomach made it clear. _Kurama..._ Hinata bowed her head, delicately bringing his arm down.

"Please," she whispered. " _Don't_ blame him for this. It was _my_ call. It-it should have been me...I would rather it have been me than him." And even with Naruto's hands cupping her face she began to cry again. "I'm sorry. Don't blame Kurama for this. It's me! Ugh! Ko, and my baby! My baby!"

She had never been separated from him before.

His facial expression twisted. "I'll get him back...No, _we_ will."

But she sobbed more, inconsolably. "My baby's gone! Why not me?!"

"Because you are still a Hyuuga. He could hurt me more by using our baby." He shook his head, whispering to her as he wiped her tears. "We can't regret that you're safe. That we still have at least one of you now. I won't."

"But the—"

"Shhhh, it's going to be alright." He picked the vial up, squeezing it. "I'll see to that."

"But you can't do that, Naruto! You can't give him what he wants, it'll be the end of everything! He'll rip the Kyuubi from you and you'll die! Kurama'll be enslaved by the Juubi and then he'll imprison everyone in the Infinite Tsukuyomi! I can't lose you! We can't allow that! Ever! But if you don't he'll kill our son!"

"We're still alive. We _can_ still do something. And we will, I mean, it's because I came here that this happened."

"Even if you hadn't, it would have still come to this." This was spoken by Kakashi, who was surprisingly calm, the only other person just as calm was Sai, who watched quietly from the side.

Naruto paused, no doubt listening to the voice that resided inside him once again. "You're right...but doesn't change the fact I have to do this. And I'm taking you with me Hinata. I'm never leaving you again."

She nodded. "Yes, Naruto."

Collecting himself he stood, Sakura backing away as he did so.

Looking at her, he blinked in confusion. "How in the world did you get here so fast?"

"Sasuke," she answered. "He was livid about you suddenly leaving on us, you just...left. We tried going after you as fast as possible but..." She looked around. "Once we reached the village I lost him. I don't know where he is now..."

Kakashi eye brows arched up. "Well, that's concerning..."

Sai nodded. "But we don't have time to find out where he disappeared to."

"No," Naruto said. "We don't. He'll catch up to me on his own anyways."

He grabbed Hinata by her hand, and began leading her over a pile of broken furniture. "I'll pay for the damages," he mumbled.

"It doesn't matter."

"Yes it does."

He gave the room one last glance.

The house was utterly destroyed, leaving nothing behind. The walls had been disintegrated, the interior torn asunder. Sniffing, he cast his eyes to the floorboards, charred black from the flames of Madara's jutsu and crimson from the man who was killed for Naruto's colossal mistake. But then something caught his eyes, inexplicably, a small glimmer of silver shined in the starlight. Bending down, he picked it up.

It was a bolt.

From what felt like a whole other world, an infinity of universes away, Kakashi's voice spoke. "Naruto, we'll need to meet up with the rest of your team. Take us to your base too."

He twisted the piece of metal between the pads of his forefinger and thumb, staring at his grimly.

"Brother doesn't allow guests to the base, friends or not. No intruders. I'm making an extreme exception with just Hinata. Besides, I need to handle this myself."

Kakashi had expected such an answer. He knew Sasuke. But he also knew Naruto.

"Well, what just happened has proven otherwise, Naruto," he said. "You're going to have to let us help you. We don't exactly have any other choice, do we? No. The outcome of this encounter affects the entire world's continuation, Naruto. Not _just_ your family."

After a long moment, Naruto nodded. "I know."

 _And I still can't give up._

He didn't know why but he found himself slipping both the world-ending vial in one pocket and the bolt in the other.

A bolt...So seemingly insignificant, but all the more precious; the lone surviving glittering jewel from a night of pure destruction. A sign that not everything was a lost cause.

Through the faults, and trials, and even the accumulated events leading to this very night, he thought back, to how he got here. How it all began, and he swore that when dawn passed, there would be no more regrets.

This is how it ended. How it began:

 _Chaos._

* * *

_-xXx-_

 **TO START A WAR TABLE OF CONTENTS /Previously + Up Next:**

 **EPISODE** _ **0\. PROLOGUE:**_ _ **The Beginning of the World's End (NARUTO'S RETURN)-**_ A year after his declaration and all the trials that would follow, a more mature and battle-scarred Naruto dares to return home to hide Hinata and their child away, only for everything to fall apart and into the final enemy's hands. It's his family, or the future. How the heck did he get here?

 **PART I: ART OF WAR**

 _ **EPISODE 1. Taka's New Wings-**_

 _Naruto has just declared war. And subsequently drags his new team along for the ride. Sasuke is not happy. But what else is new? What? Naruto suddenly disappears? AGAIN!? Welcome to the Elemental Nations, Year One_

 _EPISODE_ _2\. Meet the Hyuuga_

 _EPISODE 3. Welcome to the Sound_

 _EPISODE 4. A+B=D. (Darn Drama!)_

 _EPISODE 5. The Ruins of Uzushiogakure_

 **PART II: SONG TO THE SIREN**

 _EPISODE 6. What Becomes of Snow_

 _EPISODE 7. We Who Wander This Wasteland_

 _EPISODE 8. I Started a Joke_

 _EPISODE 9. A Death in the Family_

 _EPISODE 10._ _APOCALYPSE_

 **PART III: TO THE FUTURE**

 _EPISODE 11. Hero (Tianxia)_

 _ **Episodes listed above will occasionally take more than one chapter to unfold and lead into story arcs.**_

* * *

 _ **CONCERNED READERS/REVIEWERS PLEASE NOTE:**_ _What you've just read, the Prologue, is actually from a future episode, (yes, this is a flash-forward ) that_ _**I will build up to**_ _._ _ **It is**_ **NOT A Death in the Family** _, so do not murder me after seeing that title._ A Death in the Family _has very little to do with Boruto, if any. But as to who it involves? Well, you'll have to keep reading to find out unless you're that one person who I told. ^.^ If you're not then I'm afraid you will have to wait, or guess (but please don't guess and spoil it in the review section!). There are other things I know I hinted at here that will be exposed later as well, such as where Sasuke mysteriously ran off to..._

 _Anyway, and firstly,_ _ **I would like to give a big thanks to BriEva for checking my plotline MONTHS ago**_ _(last September, from a version officially began in July — Yes this is that old!) and even giving some suggestions regarding Sakura._ _ **But to have a completely fresh look I sought the wonderful help of a beta, A-Dream's-Nightmare, once this chapter was done, so a big thanks to them for that.**_ _And thank you guys for reading this, especially if you are a veteran. I just beg those weary of the past or know not of it, to give this fresh start a chance._ _And more importantly STAY WITH ME! Even if it's takes awhile and if the updates seem like forever. And about that, I apologise to the Shogi Veterans. I had promised this in November...What happened? I'm not sure._

 _Anyway, I would love reviews! They encourage me to write, and to write_ better _, because I read every single one of them and reflect on their points. Drop me your likes and dislikes, your predictions and concerns and whatever else you feel like sharing that's relevant._ _ **Because you hold the potential to have a say in some of these episodes.**_

 _Especially for things such as people you'd like to see revived in Kabuto's reanimation jutsu. Speak now before it's too late and I can't find a proper place in story to place them, because as of now I only have Madara, and family members of Suigetsu, Sasuke and Naruto in line. And Haku and Zabuza, so if you wanna see someone else that had potential but Kishimoto never pulled it (like a reanimated Kushina) please tell me! I enjoy and want interaction on here, and I'll try to respond to reviews so don't be shy._

 _ **My goal with this story is to honor the characters and world Kishimoto created but to pull a different ending, more simple but dramatic, yet bittersweet in its realism.**_ _(That is why I said way above that there would be character deaths...(and births))_

 _And let me say this again to_ _ **CONCERNED READERS/REVIEWERS**_ _: I am writing with the goal of SIMPLE but dramatic. To keep it simple, I may change things or remove them, such as Madara's ability to apparently awaken the Rinnegan on his own, as you can obviously see by his need to go after Naruto to get those eyes back._

 _But if you REALLY want to get that technical with canon (please don't), then consider that perhaps, before this chapter, something was done to him to prevent his eyes from activating that far._

 _Regardless, trying to remember and look up all the specifics of all the ridiculous ocular evolutions and more, I found myself just wanting to stick to the simple and dramatic concept where he'd just try to get them back from Nagato. Seriously, instead of killing Konan over them, Obito could have just evolved them himself couldn't he? These are the few liberties I will take when it comes to the characters. Everything else will just be minor and go with my "only AU after 437" rule._

 _ **Thank you so much, and to some bittersweet days ahead**_

— _ **the one and only hot pink otaku fan: HotPinkWriter. AKA HotPink Subs/Gamer.**_

* * *

 _PS Check my channel for my_ **Good Background Music (Shogi/War)** _playlist. Trust me, I bet there's a least_ something _there you've not heard before and if there's something I should add just let me know! Because_ _ **music is a big source of inspo for me**_ _. :)_


	2. Taka's New Wings (Part 1)

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

 **STORY PREMISE (TAKA VERSION):**

 _What if the Pain had successfully captured Naruto?_

 _Events in history were forever changed when Pain attacked the village of Konoha, destroyed it and succeeded in capturing its Jinchuuriki. But the Akatsuki was forced to stall their plans of sealing the Kyuubi after the prior Bijuu capture backfired. As Killer B went into hiding, Taka was forced to stay within the Hideout until he could be found and recaught. Meanwhile an imprisoned Naruto would began spreading his influence, eventually befriending Sasuke's new team, regardless the tension between Sasuke and him._

 _Some point later, the Taka was sent on an errand mission, leaving Naruto alone with the masked man. When they returned, Naruto, who had gotten in a fight with the masked man, was in mortal danger. Distraught, Sasuke managed to revive him before the Kyuubi could escape but it was too late for Naruto. Revived, he was put under stricter watch with the added aid of Kabuto. With Taka's insistence, Sasuke was convinced to break Naruto out, and bring him along with his team to extract his revenge on Konoha's new Hokage, Danzo, using the Kyuubi._

 _They managed to escape, destroying the Hideout and all of the masked man's resources, but the following time of peace did not last long as they continued their trek between bouts of training with Kisame still on the hunt for the Jinchuuriki and fights between the members. The Taka divided. Juugo left and Karin was forced to realize that Sasuke was not the one for her, but not before it hurt Suigetsu. In the chaos, Kabuto made a play, summoning Kakashi and Mangetsu from the dead..._

 _After an emotional fight Naruto would only, once again, end up in the Akatsuki's hands, and the Taka broken._

 _Later, while trying to infiltrate the Kage Summit, they discovered he was alive and free, and the center of attention as he suddenly announced his birthright and independence then declared war on the Kage, unleashing chaos on their world and changing it forever in the aftershock..._

 _This is the story of that aftershock, and Sasuke's many obstacles on his road to revenge...and redemption._

* * *

 **PREVIOUSLY:**

 _ **Through the faults, and trials, and even the accumulated events leading to this very night, Naruto thought back, to how he got here. How it all began, and he swore that when dawn passed, there would be no more regrets.**_

This is how it ended. How it began:

* * *

 **TO START A WAR**

 **BOOK I of III: ART OF WAR**

_-xXx-_

 **PRESENT**

He wasn't absolutely sure when the chaos truly began, whether back in history, with the founders of the village, Hashirama and Madara, or even if it began when Pain forever tipped the scales with his capture. But he did know, that the definitive collapse had been at the Kage Summit. When in the eyes of all the Kage he uttered just one sentence:

"Come at me and me alone with everything you got because I DECLARE WAR ON YOU ALL!"

 _Miles away, his wife gasped. Fingers hovering over her lower abdomen, she let out a frightful whisper. "We're parents..."_

And neither of them were ready for either monumental pivots.

For one split second the room was dead silent, then it got loud. Fast.

The Raikage was jumping to his feet, huge hands slamming on the table with a loud bang, adding to the cacophony of words and shouts, all incoherent on top the others' cries. Somewhere in it, Danzo's henchmen readied to assail their Kyuubi, causing the other Kage's guards to prepare to make a move as well. In the background, Obito, having been stripped his masked facade was seething in anger and one second from storming in. Any of these variables would have been enough to make even the most steeled warrior weary...but what disturbed Naruto the most was just Sasuke's expression.

If he had ever seen him _ticked_ , it was this moment.

In fact, Sasuke began lunging for him, hollering "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

Naruto took the Uchiha and everyone else's barreling as his cue that it was totally time to leave. He pulled back just as Sasuke reached him, and twisted around, grabbing Sasuke's wrist. Leaving Sasuke no time to jerk himself free, he quickly closed his eyes in focus, his other hand reaching for his other party. Feeling the power bubbling within him, he pushed it through his being and only a second later they were in a cabin, far away from the chaos where all but the falling snow was still.

No smoke, no noise.

Confused, Sasuke blinked a few times, then getting his bearings and remembering Naruto's new teleporting trick, barked the same question again. "Why?! WHAT THE—"

"'Cause it's the only way!" On that exclamation, Naruto rubbed his temple. The room was spinning...He wondered if he would ever get used to this feeling his unique teleporting produced. _Geez._ "Now shush."

"Way to what?" Sasuke snapped, obviously not hearing or caring about Naruto's last request. Instead, he shoved Naruto into the wall, fingers gripped harshly around his biceps as he pinned him. _Ugh._ "You're an idiot! Do you have any clue what you're _doing_?" Sasuke's left hand loosed in preparation to slug him and dizzy still, Naruto braced himself. "This wasn't part of the plan!"

"Listen Sasuke, it's not—"

But Sasuke's fist never landed. Instead, his arm remained extended in the air, his shaking elbow latched onto by the third party.

"That's enough Sasuke."

Sasuke paled as if there was a ghost in the room. And Naruto realized that to him, that voice _was_ that of a ghost.

The younger Uchiha's eyes widened. _Impossible..._ Slowly, he turned.

" _Shisui..."_

_-xXx-_

 **EPISODE 1: Taka's New Wings (Part 1)**

"To fight and conquer in all our battles is not supreme excellence;

supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting."

―Sun Tzu

 _The Art of War_ , Ch II. 2

_-xXx-_

"You started a...what, again?"

The question was asked by Nagato, through his head puppet, mirroring just about all the Taka's minds. Sasuke in particular, was glowering at Naruto from across the long dining table, impatiently tapping his fingers on the marble surface as if to say _Yeah, enlighten us on that one. Idiot._

It had been an hour since the summit and he was _still_ livid. Then again, Naruto shouldn't have expected anything else.

Outside, lightning flashed, giving Naruto a further edge of discomfort. They were in a huge dining area, covered with many oversized windows, and from each he could see what felt like the entire world, being flogged with lightning. The height and structure of this tower was not a something a humble Konoha resident like him was accustomed to yet, especially amidst signs of destruction. Refocusing his attention to the people seated around the table and its prepared meal, Naruto took a long sip from his drink. _Oh boy. How to do this..._

"I, uh, said I started a war."

Pain's brow heightened as his hands tensed on the table in front of him. Of all the people in the dining hall, he was the only one without a plate. Nagato _was_ probably eating right now, but in his secluded room. So they got Yahiko's corpse puppet as his liaison instead. Even now. "A war...Do you—"

Naruto quickly interrupted him. "I _had_ to, Nagato. I couldn't let Obito and the Kage start it and believe me, it was on the tips of their tongues! And if any one of them had started it, everyone would have began fighting each other and then more villages would end up like us, Konoha and the Rain so...Yeah, that's it in a nutshell. I started my own...war."

The last word fell weakly as he watched Nagato's response. From across the table, Suigetsu grinned, also gauging what the Akatsuki-cloak-wearing man would do. From under the table, his fingers squeezed the hilt of his huge sword that he was just itching to use in this rain. Karin noticing his excitement, jerked at his arm, shaking her head sternly as if to say _What_ _the heck, Suigetsu? Stop it_. A blush colored his cheeks before he hid it with a loud cough, breaking the silence.

The Pain rubbed its temple, as if mirroring Nagato's very reaction to his statement. The steel rods embedded in Yahiko's skin glittered. "A _war_? You fool. No. You _imbecile_. What is the difference between what you have done, and my original Gedo plan? Except that you've might have done it only to save yourself? Is that it?"

Naruto bit his lip. His new alliance with Nagato was shaky enough. And man, did Naruto want to avoid him reverting back to his original plan. Still.

"It's not like that Nagato," he protested. "You have to _listen_ to me."

"I am, and you had not discussed this with me beforehand and it's downright hypocritical after all you've done to try to stop the discord."

Seated besides the head Pain, Konan's fingers tightened around her glass. "I would have to agree with Nagato, Naruto. How could you...After _everything_?"

Of all the people in the room, there was no one who wanted true peace more than her. While the Akatsuki had captured Naruto, Konoha had managed to get their hands on Konan. She soon escaped a little after he had, but with new eyes. No, she came back home with her faith in Yahiko's original views revived and burning stronger. It was she who had stopped the final fight between Naruto and Nagato and convinced the latter of their relapse from Yahiko's ways and how Naruto was that link.

He could still remember it as crystal clear as the glass in his hands:

 _How on his last legs just like Nagato, he ran, the protective rod in front of Nagato's machine coming towards his vitals just as his knife rushed straight towards Nagato's heart with each footfall._

 _It was his sacrifice._

 _But then there came a rush of air, and the cry "STOP!"_

 _The latching power of her paper, and the spreading of her angel-like wings. Her words and persistence. "He carries Yahiko's spirit inside him!"_

 _The silver flash of a key._

 _And the melting of Pain's shell around Nagato's heart._

 _"There's something about you. Why such ability, why now? I'm the one with the Sage of Six Path's eyes yet you did what I couldn't. I can only wonder what more you'll do…With this nation. The Bijuu…"_

How what was left of the chains around his wrists fell to the ground.

" _Since there is no longer need for our fighting, you will be under my protection. My resources are now yours. My city, my supplies, even my alliance. Everything. I will see to it the masked man does not interfere with Yahiko's true dreams anymore."_

It had been a fight well worth it. _  
_  
 _"But," Nagato had said. "Stray from the path or fail to reach it in a decent length of time, and..."_

"It's not what you think, guys."

"Then, pray tell, is your intension?"

Naruto took another long sip, this time finishing his glass of juice. He quickly handed his cup to one of the servants, one of the many people recently employed by "Pain-sama" for small jobs until the village and its economy could be stabilized again. "More, please. Thanks."

The rugged man nodded and took his leave.

"For one," he said, "this ain't the traditional approach. I did it because the Kage were about to snap and Obito wasn't going to help any. And you know what happens when they do? A bloody war."

"Which you started anyways," Karin mumbled, pushing her half-finished plate to the side. "Seriously, what were you thinking?"

From beside her, Suigetsu chimed in, "Yeah I knew you were an idiot before but, man, does this just top it."

Naruto narrowed his eyes at him. "Shut up, Suigetsu."

The swordsman beamed, sipping his drink obnoxiously. "You know it's true, buddy."

Konan sighed. "Enough, boys."

"In any case," Naruto continued, his voice loud so he was sure he had everyone's absolute attention. "It had to be me to stop it. By doing so I made it so that instead of attacking each other, they'd have to focus on _me_. Solely on me."

"And my team as well," Sasuke grumbled.

By then the servant had returned with Naruto's drink. Glancing over him as he set the glass down, Naruto rolled his eyes at Sasuke. "If you want to leave, you can, jerk. But nooooo, you just have to be obsessed with wanting to use Kurama against Danzo."

"That was our original deal, Naruto. You promised you would use the _Kyuubi_ inside you to our advantage."

The cup in the servant's hand slipped, shattering. Red liquid splashed against the table. Naruto was instantly dripping with it, his clothes stained with the crimson.

"Ah! Dude!"

"I'm so sorry...I'll get you another!"

"It's fine!" Naruto exclaimed, furiously trying to wipe the mess off his clothes before it could stain further. The man just stood there with some napkins bunched in his hands, crumbled tightly, Seemingly unsure of what to do with himself. Naruto yanked one last napkin from him before urging him to just get out.

The man did so quickly, not even attempting to finish cleaning the mess or offer to. Konan gave him a strange look as he rushed past her but said nothing.

Finished wiping the juice up and flushed, Naruto stood. With so many things hot on his mind, on top the latest excitement, he began pacing, unable to sit or even stand still. "Listen everyone. As I was saying _before_... _This ain't about huge battles._ No, this is about _reaching_ them, one by one, until we all reach the same understanding that the people of this world need, and then, destroying Madara's influence so all this strife doesn't build up again and lead into a real war. What I started isn't a war where there will be innocents, but a line of direct one-on-one confrontations. That is my goal."

"You're not thinking realistically. There will always be innocent bystanders, Naruto." Pain glanced at him sternly. "And reaching who exactly?"

"The Kage! I have faith in almost every single one of them! They're the best of the best. Shinobi who have reached the peak of their nindo, so if I'm going to truly make a difference, who better to start with than them? The world of politics has affected all of their ways, though, I think. Instead of just moving to protect people they have to think of things like balance and villages relationships and all that junk first."

Karin snorted. "That "junk" is kind of _important_ , Naruto."

"That may be, but it's being abused. Which brings me to one of the ninja world's biggest issues. The Bijuu and the use of people as hosts...as Jinchuuriki. We're treated more like pawns than human beings. And that needs to end completely. The Bijuu should be free, and even right now, I want to let them out from the Gedo but I can't until I know the world's going to leave them alone and be in the proper mindset. Like many things, they're not there to dictate over and if treated right, they aren't threats. They're closer to the Sage of Six Paths than anyone gives them credit for. We should be following _them_.

"As for the Kage mission...It's going to be hard to loosen the tight grip political affairs has had on the people. I remember how Granny Chiyo acted but then I remembered how she was before she died and how _sincere_ it was. It no longer mattered we were outsiders. What mattered was my best friend's life, her Kage. That is how is _should_ be in the ninja world."

Konan smiled. "So what you mean, you're not really after the politics, per se, but bringing back the humanity. The humanity that unites us all."

"Yes! Thank you, Konan. And to bring it, I'm going to reach for every single one of the Kage like that and remind them why we're different from the normal civilians of this world. Gaara is practically already there and if I could bring him back from his hell, then why not the others? Only then could progress be made for peace...It will never come with the death of others. Not in the truest way."

Sasuke scoffed at this, but the others seemed to be absorbed by his words, or just leaned in, listening. Konan in particular had that grim smile on her lips. _Still a child...It is a cycle. Human nature. But..._

Naruto's shoulders squared. "And I will do so _without_ the big battles. And believe me, traditional battles are the _last_ thing I want. Leave that to the samurai and their obsession with idea of honor being earned on the battlefield. I'm taking it back to the shadows. Just man to man. Or woman. This is about taking the crosshairs off the people, off the victims who would suffer in the clash, and painting it on something that can smother it out of existence." He swung his hands to emphasise his words.

Now Suigetsu scoffed. "So you're gonna be playin' shield, then, huh? Don't think it's gonna be pretty and work out like you're imagining in that silly head of yours, Swirls."

Before Naruto could counter, Sasuke interrupted. "I don't care what you want. We had a deal about Danzo, and now that you've changed things, you inadvertently endangered my team without their consent. And I'm sure you've dragged your new partner for the ride as well."

He cast a cold glance towards Nagato's host body. Beside it, Konan tensed. Pain's eyes narrowed. "You, _Uchiha_ , have no business with the Kyuubi."

"Stop it Nagato. Sasuke. Kurama belongs to no one but his own self. Me being his prison is just temporary until I find a way to separate us."

"And I must admit...Sasuke," Konan spoke, "that our involvement in this affair has now become unavoidable. Nonetheless, the _true_ Akatsuki will remain on Naruto's side. Besides, we have unfinished business with this...Obito character, who has misused our organization."

Naruto nodded. "Thank you again, Konan." He turned to the Taka now. " And I never said you guys _had_ to join my crusade. But I'd _like_ you to...I mean Danzo _is_ on the Kage list..." He smirked at Sasuke. "And while in Konoha's custody I got my hands on some scrolls that you might be interested in."

He pulled a small parchment from his back pouch and held it up tauntingly. "I'll give them up to you once we're ready to actually take care of Danzo...Oh, and you gotta be with me all the way. We're in this together or not at all."

Sasuke glowered, but didn't say anything.

"So...Karin, Suigetsu. Are _you_ guys with me?" He held out his fist.

Suigetsu's met it with his long but thin muscular arm, a huge grin on his face. "With Kisame and his Samehada still hot for your tails? Heck yeah, Swirly. I'm not missing out on this. Besides, this will be the perfect chance to grab the other blades as well while we're out."

Figures he still had his sight on the seven swords, which included Kisame's as well. Naruto laughed. "Yeah, I imagine even with the Akatsuki split, he'll still be a problem, as well as Obito and Zetsu. Thank you...Karin? What about you? You gonna come even if Sasuke doesn't?"

Her face reddened at the mention of Sasuke. "You're an idiot..." she hissed, prickled up like a cat. "The Taka isn't yours to command..." Then paused, staring at the table. Avoiding Sasuke's face. From beside her, Suigetsu tensed.

"But, Karin," he said, his grin exposing his oddly sharp teeth. "He'll get himself killed without you."

She smirked as if that alone could convince her. "He _would_."

She pushed her glasses up, making no other comments so Naruto took that as a yes.

Naruto fist pumped the air. _Boo-yah!_ Then sobering, glanced to Sasuke whose gaze had shifted to the quiet member sitting next to Naruto. He hadn't spoken a word since their meal had begun. Instead, just shifted the food on his plate around with his chopsticks and nibbled occasionally.

"Shisui?" he asked, quietly. "What do you think of this mess he's starting?"

The man set the sticks down before leaning forward, his fingers interlocked. Since they had started dining, he had removed his hood, fully revealing the bandages he wore over his sockets like a blindfold and a grim reminder. He spoke, his face pointed to Sasuke's direction. "Honestly, I want to see a difference, and I've been wanting to see it for practically all my life and even after...that day, after I let myself disappear for the better good...hardly nothing came of my eyes like I had hoped. If anything, Itachi was forced to bear the cross all by himself and it was wrong on all of us."

Barely visibly, Sasuke winced. "Shisui..."

"I failed, so it's up to someone else to try now and he is. He's going for the entire system with the Kage. Not just a set spot which I never even attempted...Although because I had leave the village for fear of Danzo, and gave Itachi the rest of my sight...I really don't see what I can do myself for this cause now...But even so, even handicapped, I will stand with the Fourth's son on this."

Sasuke closed his eyes and exhaled slowly. "Shisui...We need to talk."

"Yes, but my mind's been long made up, Sasuke. It would be what your brother would want too."

Naruto looked towards Sasuke, expecting him to join in but he gave no such answer, or any kind of response for that matter.

Of course he wouldn't.

"Thank you, Shisui," Naruto said. "And if it's possible, I won't let you stay this way for long."

Shisui turned his head toward his direction, expression puzzled. "Excuse me?"

Naruto clicked his tongue, and on this signal, a rather large crow flew to his shoulder. Since the Summit he had fitted his bird with a small strap on one of its legs that would hold small slips of paper. Mamoru would act as his own messenger bird between him and his trusted comrades in Konoha.

But the crow didn't need a Sharingan for that.

"Itachi once gave me this bird and Sharingan eye. He did this as a fail-safe plan should Sasuke completely lose sight of the light. But the trigger for the eye to activate never arose."

"..."

"Karin, I want you to take Itachi's crow and transplant his eye back to Shisui." He looked at Sasuke who stared at him, mouth caught agape. "His original goal for the bird is no longer needed, I think."

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

The operation would take _hours_. And that's when they could actually _do_ it.

After hearing so many stories of Uchiha giving and taking their Sharingan, Naruto had figured that the eyeball could just be popped in and that was that. This obviously wasn't the case. Especially with Shisui.

A few hours after their meal, Karin had gathered both he and Sasuke to talk about the transplant while Shisui waited in one of the hospital's rooms. Amegakure had only one hospital and it was one of the few buildings that didn't seek to try to penetrate sky with its height. Instead, the foundation was spread out horizontally, which was one of the reasons it had been mostly salvaged during the recent attack when many of the other buildings, towers especially, had been toppled.

"Usually," she said as she began removing her doctor gear, "with the right knowledge, a good medic nin can transplant specific eye parts with only small trouble and a good chance of success. But this gets tricky depending on the state of the optic nerves and his optic nerves have been so badly severed off and left in that state for so long that there is an extremely small chance he will ever see again. I'm talking one percent."

The gloves came off with a snap.

Naruto quickly protested. "But you're really good at healing! You've got to be the most unique medic, being an Uzumaki too, ya know! Can't you just recover them so he has a better chance? And once you do, we just have to worry about the main part, the eyes and ithey're in good shape. Itachi took care of it real good. And Danzo too. He cares too much about power to have messed the right one up"

She shook her head. "I may be an Uzumaki, but that amounts to nothing when this type of thing is beyond me. And if his nerves can't be fixed, we might as well leave him alone and spare him the surgery. Yes, I can transplant the eye we got now, but even with it back, it won't do any good when there is no true connection between that organ, and his brain. He'd still remain sightless...And his nerves aren't the only issue."

On this, she pulled out a sheet from a folder. "These are from the CT Scan I had one of the doctors conduct. As you can see...It's bad. Especially this one."

She pointed to one of the round grey shapes on the sheet. One of his eye sockets. Looking closer, Naruto saw how not only was the innermost area deformed but the white bone surrounding the blank space seemed to be bent downward and a chunk of it was even missing, like a broken bridge.

"I'm guessing this one was damaged like this from the Sharingan being forcibly taken from him. Because he was fighting back as it happened, the socket bone was broken, possibly from a tool of some sort. Whether it was done with a knife or a medical instrument, it doesn't matter. It t still completely chipped some of the bone away, which caused it to never heal properly. And if his broken socket bone is left like that, even if he gets the eye from Danzo back, that one will always be impaired and come with its own list of unpleasant symptoms. We're talking redness, double vision, nausea...It's just not good. I recommend him just wearing an eye patch over that one. Of course, a glass eye is an option too. It will just have to be specially made."

"But still..." Naruto said, looking away. How painful it must have been for him to go through that ordeal! Him removing his own eye must have been painful enough. But to have someone rip it out..."You can _fix_ that socket. And eye switching ain't new to the Uchiha, and if so, how did the they do it all the time back then? What about Obito? The second eye of his obviously isn't his original. That one's in Kakashi and...Their eyes came during bad accidents and they don't have problems with them like that."

She pressed her lips together tightly. "That thought crossed my mind too. This whole thing would be better if we had an Uchiha doctor. For a clan to practice eye transference on more than one member, they must have known special techniques to aid them. But I imagine that such information would have been guarded with the utmost secrecy. If knowledge of their ways got out, they would have only been attacked more for their powers than they already were."

It went unsaid that perhaps all Uchiha with potential prowess would have learned the way to transplant eyes once they became of age but because they had been killed when Sasuke had been so young, he hadn't learned and was essentially useless to them in this situation. Shisui on the other hand, only remembered how to remove the eye.

"I'd feel much more comfortable with him going through this with someone who has done it before than give him false hope with a failed operation. We'll only get one chance with this. Once the eye is reconnected with the optic nerves, that's it. Separating them to try again would render the nerves and everything else destroyed for good. Not to mention it wouldn't psychologically be good to have him go through such a delicate operation like this only for it to leave him still blind after all these years of learning to adapt. After everything he's been through...Would he be able to handle it?"

"He's strong though," Naruto insisted. "He's come this far on _nothing_ , but this time, he has _us_. And besides, you forget, people outside the clan have successfully transplanted eyes before, and you're talking like it's completely impossible! But it's not and he _needs_ this. Remember the guy with the eye patch at the Summit?"

Sasuke gave him a quick glance. "If you're talking about that guard of the Mizukage, the Byakugan and the Sharingan aren't—"

"Yes they are. Stop being so prideful. Their basicness would be similar enough, enough that we could have the people who successfully transplanted his Byakugan help us. That or the people from the Lightning. Remember the Hyuuga Incident? Why try abducting a Hyuuga unless you really wanted their eyes? And if worst comes to worst, there's always Danzo. We're going to need to get that other eye back eventually anyways. Y'know? I mean, we're gonna be circling all the villages, and somewhere there has to be _someone_ who can help us. Or files. I'll search through every single one if I have to."

Karin closed the folder with Shisui's scans and set them in a bag. "That could actually work. But he would need to continue to stay here and let one of the doctors keep trying to repair the damage to his socket and recover his optic nerves while we travel. I can't even begin to express how this entire operation hinges on his optic nerves."

Naruto nodded. "And being here, he can meanwhile help watch over Nagato."

Sasuke's brow arched as he leaned against the wall smugly with his arms crossed. "Watch over him? Your new partner not that _trustworthy_?"

"Shut up," he growled.

' _ **He's right to not trust him, Naruto,'**_ Kurama said through their mental link. ' _ **I think even you know what's going to happen if this plan for peace gains no results...'**_

' _I can't just give up on him. There's good still there in him.'_

' _ **But it's been a long time since he was that boy your sensei trained. If it comes to how it was a few weeks ago I**_ **will** _**take over.**_ **Completely** _ **. Understand?'**_

Naruto let out a soft exhale. ' _No you won't.'_

The fox chuckled in dark amusement.

_-xXx-_

Naruto always felt uncomfortable in the hospital's crowded halls. Not to mention the Rain's hospital had partially caved in, letting in debris and dust that people were still working to clear out, but it was difficult when the entire place was overcrowded and filled to the brim with many injured and now-homeless citizens. As he squeezed past one family shouting about a member that was still missing, he held his breath. It was a smell that made him nauseous. A sight he didn't like seeing. A situation he didn't like being reminded of.

It would take forever for them all to recover after Konoha's counter attack. His headband still rested inside his pocket, and would continue to until he felt ready to brandish it again for all to see. But that was not now. Not _here_.

Naruto quietly glanced into Shisui's room through the long thin window on the door. Inside, Shisui sat on the bed with Sasuke beside him. The elder Uchiha stroked Itachi's bird quietly and after a few moments of Sasuke speaking, Naruto catching words like _complications,_ and _apologize,_ shook his head. Sasuke's lips moved again, his face pointed downward (making it hard for Naruto to read his lips) and Shisui could only get up, and face the window along the wall. Shoulders heavy, as he placed his hand on its cool surface.

 _Regret._

It was the look of a man filled with regrets.

Naruto's heart clenched. All he wanted was what had passed to be remedied. Shisui hadn't deserved what Danzo had done to him. And his sacrificed gift after that to Itachi was the one thing that could save him from complete darkness, even if he had originally given it away to be used. It just hadn't worked out. But he could use it on himself instead.

But even that notion was being crushed down by reality.

Maybe Naruto should have never have brought him here. Maybe he would have been better off just living in his sanctuary where he had learned to live comfortably. In the abandoned temple he called home. But no. _He deserves so much more than that prison. He can never be free until he can see again and regain his honor as a member of the elite Uchiha clan. See justice for his clan with Sasuke._

Sasuke walked over to him, touching Shisui's shoulder. Naruto still couldn't hear what they were saying but it was clear they had changed topics. Catching up, perhaps. Sasuke almost looked normal, as he nodded his head to whatever Shisui just said. And Shisui smiled. Even after hearing the devastating news, the man had such a calm air about him. Even laughed, probably after making a joke. It was a trait that Naruto preferred over the usual Uchiha personality. His smile reminded Naruto of Itachi, except Shisui showed it a heck of a lot more. That was just who he was.

Naruto almost choked when he gave Sasuke a quick side-hug. Shisui had been his brother's dear friend. During that time, he must have gotten the chance to watch over a much younger and then-innocent Sasuke. To play with him even. To train and give tips and hints, or even mediate between him and his brother when Itachi's high expectations became too big an obstacle for a young boy to compete with. Unlike Naruto, Shisui would have known the entire family as well. Known his parents. Would have come over in the past to eat at his house and go on missions with different members of the family. Had just _been_ there.

 _Sasuke needs Shisui just as much Shisui needs to find his place back in Konoha._

For one moment, the old Sasuke was almost back, or rather, with Shisui this was as close to that him as they were going to get.

Naruto cast his eyes down.

Sasuke didn't know how blessed he had been to have such a close friend that was his own family. It was a depth Naruto would never truly reach.

But not for lack of trying.

"Hey, I wanna see the hotel. We got the pent, don't we?"

Naruto jumped. "Suigetsu!"

The swordsman chuckled, before giving the door Naruto seemed to be intent on watching a glance. "You shouldn't be barging in on their privacy, you know, orphan boy."

Naruto scoffed. "You have room to talk. You were going to, too."

"Na-huh. I know to keep family matters private."

"Yeah, but you still were gonna peak in. Why else would you be here?"

And so a pointless drabble between the two began, before they agreed to head out and explore the city and practice some kenjutsu before hitting bed. Naruto planned to begin his crusade the next day, with or without Sasuke, but for now, they just needed beds to sleep in for the night and Nagato was granting them that.

As they headed for the exit, Naruto happened to glance over the lobby's desk and notice a man by himself. He was the guy from earlier, the servant who had spilled the drink on him. He was sitting outside one of the hospital rooms, his knees pulled up to his chest. In one hand was a small silver object and as he stared down at it, Naruto noticed tears were streaming down his face. So silently. No one else seemed to have noticed as they scurried to and fro, oblivious to his mental battle.

Suigetsu pulled on him. "Come on! We don't got all day. Besides, we still got some kenjutsu to work with you on, remember? I'll make a competent sparring partner out of you yet."

"O-oh right. I'm coming."

Outside, the rain had stopped and the sun was peeking through just enough as it continued its dissent from the sky. After awhile of trying to find a clear spot on the water with enough range, Suigetsu asked outloud, "What happened here, anyway? I thought the Rain was supposed to be like the most impressive and modern place even though it was always so closed off? It looks awful."

Naruto looked down guiltily. "Danzo. Danzo happened."

After his fight with Pain and Nagato, he'd spent hours trying to help the village rebuild. It had been many long hours of sweat-dripping-hard labor. A job performed by many of the men and women civilians, even a few children. And after a number of days of it...it hadn't even put a dent in it. Unlike Konoha, they didn't have a wood style user who just make temporary homes in practically no time. Theirs was a cold city of concrete, steel, and water. But for every street, was an impressive apartment with hundreds of now-scared civilians. And everyone of them was an irreplaceable life.

Just like sensei...

A memorial needed erected for him and Naruto still hadn't gotten a chance to really speak with Nagato about it. Not that it was too awkward with him or anything, but because he was extremely busy with the village's affairs, like trying to recover and improve it from the dictatorship it had been before. But later that night Naruto _would_ find the time to speak with Nagato...

"Ah. You were captured, they seriously retaliated? Surely that guy knew you weren't being held here."

Naruto nodded. "Yeah...But what's done's done. Nothing to do but move forward with the plan."

"And get my new blade from Kisa—" Naruto was dashing ahead before Suigetsu could finish.

"Hey, you cheater! I never said go!" Suigetsu called, grinning devilishly, running after him. "And don't think you can outrun me! Here in this rain, it might as well be my turf!"

"Oh we'll see about that!" Naruto goaded.

Had Naruto not been so caught up in trying to distract his heart from all the hurt around him, he would have noticed the shadow watching him, its being seething with dark intents.

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

It was nighttime by the time Sasuke left Shisui's hotel room. By then, Karin was just about ready to pass out after trying to help out with some of the extra patients. Or rather, she used them as excuse to distance herself from the original members of Taka. Now she stood in the lobby, tiredly.

"Come on," he said briskly.

"Huh?"

"It's late. The hotel's this way."

It was his way of saying, _I'll walk you there._ Although, it really meant nothing when they were heading to same place anyways.

She blushed only for a moment before she shrugged it off. She knew deep down that Sasuke wasn't...He wasn't hers. It was a truth she was still trying to adapt to.

"Karin?"

"Yes?" She asked, feet moving slowly against the wet pavement. There was so much for them to say. About everything that had happened before and after the Summit. But she dared not hope he would speak the unutterable.

"Thank you."

"Huh?" Since when had he ever actually verbally expressed thanks towards her?

"For trying to help Shisui," he spoke bluntly, not saying anything else. She smiled grimly. Of course he would show gratitude if it had to do with his clan. But she wasn't helping Shisui for him. It was for Shisui...and Naruto.

She sighed, opening the hotel door for them. "But we've not even truly begun yet."

"I know," he murmured, taking the door for her. "But even so...Because of you, there's a chance he'll get his sight back. Even if it's faint, thank you."

"You should be thanking Naruto. He was the one who found him and kept Itachi's crow safe."

"Hn."

The hotel was at least ten stories. It made for a long, silent elevator ride. The nice thing about it though, was that one side of the exterior was made up of mostly windows, and you could see the world descending through it, as it climbed higher towards the moon. It was a sensation almost like flying. A sleepy, sleepy flight, filled with glittering stars. She rubbed her eyes, yawning.

"Speaking of him," she said quietly, as if Naruto would overhear her from the hotel if she didn't. "The Kyuubi's chakra should be healing him normally now, right?"

Sasuke looked at her questionably before saying, "Of course."

 _Ding._ The elevator door slid open and they continued through the hallway, voices still hushed.

"Then why has he been keeping his right wrist wrapped up?"

Sasuke eyebrows raised. "What do you mean?"

"He keeps it covered. I've only noticed because he's been doing it for awhile now. You know, I asked what it was and his answer? A papercut!"

Sasuke shook his head. "He's a pathetic liar."

"He's not good at hiding things at all..." she agreed. "But why would he do so in the first place? I know it's not my buisness but...I think things happened while we weren't there with him and he's trying to play it cool. But... _Something_ changed him a little and—"

Suddenly there was a crash sound from around the corridor, as if a tray had been dropped and its contents had shattered on the floor. When the screaming followed, it became obvious this wasn't just an accident. Something was seriously wrong. High-alert tenseness resonated in both of them.

There was _killing intent_ in the air.

"What?"

The two rushed ahead—it was the direction towards their rooms!

"Sasuke!" Karin cried, quickening her pace. "I smell blood!"

With a curse he shoved his way through the throng of gathering workers. "Move!"

He grabbed the shoulder of a worker that was in front of the door and shook it. "What is it? What happened?"

The old lady gasped out, "Someone attacked the blond boy!"

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

 **TO BE CONTINUED in Taka's New Wings (Part 2 of 2)** :

 _Oooooh, boy._ _What's it this time? Pain? An assassin?_

Throw me your guesses in reviews so I can laugh at them XD (and pray the real answer is not obvious)

 _Either case, he finds he must be grounded sometimes to see and face the consequences of the Rain._

 _Meanwhile, before the campaign to change the ninja world begins, Naruto must first convince Sasuke to join his cause. And he's not leaving until he has his respect..._

 _And you know what that means?_ **;)**

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

 **ON SHISUI'S EYE: I actually looked eye transplants up to figure out recovery time and...**

 _ **It is impossible**_ **!**

In my original plans for this story, I actually had Karin perform a successful transplant but then...I actually looked it up and in the real world you can only transplant the cornea. But this is a magical ninja universe where people can spit fire out with a handsign and word, so I could bend the rules of reality a bit. But at the same time, the whole idea of them just popping an eyeball in and using it is ridiculous. So I _tried_ to ground this a bit more realistically. Perhaps transplanting the eye is possible, but it would require very specific knowledge of both the eye and secrete techniques. Perhaps only older and prodigy Uchiha are taught how. (And perhaps Obito after hanging out with a bunch of Uchiha elders would have learned enough to pass on to Rin when it came time, in case that argument came to your mind.) And besides them, only a select few outside the clan have been successful in figuring out a way. Cuz really, if anyone could just pop an eye in (forgetting only fewer than that would be able to utilize its power without humongous skill to make up for lack of the right blood) the Uchiha really would of been attacked more by any power hungry thief who knew a good eye doctor.

 **ALSO, AN APOLOGY FOR NOT ONLY SPLITTING THE FIRST EPISODE IN HALF BUT POSTING IT OVER MONTH LATER-Correction, now two months later...ohmygawdI'msososorrryyy:**

Once episode 1 is fully finished, I will explain how some of the parts that have evolved past my plans have made me take longer but for now, here's the main, non-spoiler reasons. I've just been distracted of late. One of the distractions is a new friend I met at a con when it got super abnormally crazy. We've been chatting ever since, game sharing, and all that jazz. Yeah, it's a dude. Which is abnormally odd for me. Speaking of which, jumping into comics is also extremely distracting. Call me a nerd now :) I've also started trying to utilize eBay to get rid of junk, (including Loot Anime nicknacks so if you're interested in that check out my HotPinkSeller account a week or so after each monthly box arrives XD) Anyway there's also my two jobs. I'm starting to get more hours.

And the main reason for super long update?

Lack of both inspiration and discipline. I just can't sit down and write anymore. It's so much easier to plan in your head than work it out on screen. But Imma do and finish this, darn it!

Oh, and when the Hyuuga episode hits soon...I hope to have finalized the improved timeline to the original story (now being The Game Called Shogi) and in the middle is where the most changes will come. Which means, in here, there will be changes with Hinata and Naruto's past experiences. But it shouldn't be too jarring or even significantly noticeable, even when I've not posted the updated middle yet. Just now crawling out of the whole beginning first night and there's a while to go before things really get down.


	3. Taka's New Wings (Part 2)

AN: _Gasoline_ would be a good theme for Sasuke, here, yeah? No? Well enjoy the fight anyway. What? Yeah. Ya read right. :)

Anyway, I like to imagine these as episodes, and sometimes the opening scenes often prolong the theme song, and I feel that is the case here. It is a while before we get the chapter title and quote, the "theme" if you will.

Hey, there should be theme songs. Music is always a huge source of inspiration. If this chapter had one, it'd be...Hmm, you decide.

* * *

 **PREVIOUSLY:**

 _ **Naruto started war with the intent to paint a target on him and him alone, and face the Kage one on one, but before his crusade can begin, the team needs a night of rest. It's been a long day. First they learn that there's a number of complications with Naruto's idea to transplant Shisui's eye back from Itachi's crow, then, Nagato is still hesitant in his new alliance with Naruto, and to top it, Sasuke's still hasn't fully agreed to join him. Putting all these interferences off for just a while longer, Suigetsu and Naruto rush off for sparring. But...**_

 _Had Naruto not been so caught up in trying to distract his heart from all the hurt around him, he would have noticed the shadow watching him, its being seething with dark intents._

* * *

 **TO START A WAR**

 **BOOK I of III: ART OF WAR**

* * *

One minute he was plopping down on the bed in exhaustion. The next he was dodging a knife and there was blood everywhere.

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

It was late by the time Shisui got finished with his story. The story of how he had survived the fall. How even though he had jumped, he resurfaced and, for reasons then unknown to him, had been unable to finish his plans of suicide.

He briefly glossed over how Naruto had found him, and how he knew right away that Naruto was none other than the Fourth Hokage's son. Shisui had chalked it up to destiny that he should not only find him, but that the teen had the wish to right the very same wrongs of the village he had tried and failed so long ago... **(1*)**

Through the majority of his account, Sasuke could only stare at the ground, words lost to him.

Every word of the older Uchiha friend was almost a stab at Sasuke for his goals of revenge from before. A reminder of his brother's true mission. And Naruto's insistence.

But it still didn't change anything.

Sasuke closed his eyes when it was done, unsure how to respond.

Finally, he managed a simple and bland, "I am grateful you are still with us."

Shisui's lips turned into a soft smile, his fingers stroking Itachi's crow with his eye still within it. "After some time, I finally learned to be thankful too. I wouldn't have gotten to meet you all grown up if the jump had actually done its job. Just regret Itachi ain't still around. I've got some words with him..."

Reflecting on this, Sasuke smiled grimly, remembering the days gone by and wishing with every fiber of his body, for just one moment, he could go back. He briefly imagined how things could be if the massacre had never happened and he saw Shisui, laughing happily with his immediate family, and Itachi smiling too. His mom poking him with the laundry basket, telling him to move, and his father...

"Ah," Shisui said, nudging his shoulder. "I can just see that pouty look you used to give every time your brother became the topic."

Sasuke stuttered and the man laughed. "I may be blind but there are some things that don't change." He had a pleasant light laugh, but it soon faded as he sobered. "It's kinda refreshing in a way. Although since the whole thing began, and I've been...this way I've become able to read people on a different level."

"How do you mean?"

"Like earlier for instance, at dinner. When the waiter suddenly dropped the cup."

Sasuke paused briefly, just trying to recall the incident. "It was an accident."

"And reactionary."

Sasuke brow knotted. "Reactionary?"

Shisui nodded. "He was too quiet, before and after. After he dropped it, I kept waiting for him to say something more to Naruto. To clean it up. But he stood there in silence and I sensed a great deal of shock from him. Rushed out of there too quickly. Possibly upset."

Shisui had noticed all that? It had all seemed so minute to Sasuke he'd barely paid any attention. He had chalked the annoyance has a newbie mistake. But, the more he thought of it now, the more something did seem wrong.

The question was, what had the employee reacted to?

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

"Hey, don't forget the group's gonna meet later. So don't fall asleep!" Suigetsu's voice was barely audible from the other side of the hotel door. But just enough that it was probably bothering his neighbors, if not the workers roaming the halls.

"I won't!" he called in return, equally if not more boisterous in nature.

Sensing the swordsman gone, Naruto began stripping for his bath. Momentarily wincing at his sore muscles. His little sparring session with Suigetsu today had been unbelievably tiring. No, trying to match and outdo him was what became tiring in so many ways.

Suigetsu was not only a master of the sword, but his abilities to morph into water to avoid serious damage was both straight up fascinating and a formidable obstacle. Still, such practice would do him good when the time came to fight the remnants of the Akatsuki, Kisame and Obito, and the oddball of nature, Zetsu.

The blades on him clattered against the linoleum floor only to become covered by his clothes as he finished undressing.

Before hopping in the bath, he checked around his body for bruises. There were a few, as well as a couple of nicks, but with his regenerative abilities, they were slowly fading away and into his normal tanned-skin tone. The only signs of battles not fading as normal were the scars that had healed without his chakra while being imprisoned by the Akatsuki.

But even they had begun to fade slightly. All except one.

After his soak, Naruto collapsed to the bed. Letting out a deep sigh, he closed his eyes, just about ready to pass out.

It was when sprawled out he got the first wisps of a warning that something was wrong.

' _ **I sense a deep hatred, Naruto,'**_ Kurama spoke. Naruto scoffed at the comment. Who _didn't_ hate him right now?

Sinking into the massive pillows, he shrugged it off. ' _Well I've managed to tick most everybody off. Every single important political figure now knows my name and knows I'm going to come after them.'_

But as Naruto turned to his side, he found himself restless, and kicking the blankets down. Something _was_ off, he just couldn't place it quite yet.

' _Prob's just Sasuke. Hates me even more now, y'know.'_

' _ **This is flavored with killing intent,'**_ the fox snapped. ' _ **Do you not**_ **feel** _**it?'**_

Naruto giggled nervously. If an enemy was even remotely close to the tower he was in, he would have sensed them. Nagato would have known even faster. His enemies would come for him, no doubt about that, Obito in particular was relishing in his plans to break him down to his core before ripping Kurama from him, but it was too soon. They would be fools not to prepare themselves for the force that was the last Jinchuuriki beforehand. And they were no fools. Each of his targets was a formidable adversary.

' _Again, you're just feeling Sasuke.'_

Had he not been so exhausted and sure of himself, he would have known better. But his body and mind were exasperated. His eyes closing once more, his breathing slowed. He barely registered the fact that an employee had come in to get the towels from his bathroom.

"Hey can I get some extras?" he lazily called out, half asleep in the bed already against Suigetsu's original plans. He'd slept on concrete before, grass, and trees. It only made the lavishness of the bed that much more soothing to his body...but as a trained shinobi even he knew better than to let himself go right away.

When he got no answer from the man lingering in the bathroom, he became concerned, feeling something wrong, stronger this time. "Hello?"

' _ **MOVE NARUTO!'**_

He barely managed to dodge the blade aimed for his back, and instead felt a sharp slice of pain run along his twisting shoulder.

" _AUGH!"_

Registering the danger and feeling a boost in adrenaline, he twisted around all the way, catching his attacker by his arm, and jerked at the wrist, flicking the knife from it. Getting the weapon out of the way, he followed by kicking his knee into their torso. Sure such a move was easily blockable, but his position on the bed didn't allow him a wide assortment of moves, and to his surprise, the assailant took the full force of it with a surprised and pained grunt. Clearly, the man had no sense of retaliation or defense.

They fumbled to the floor, Naruto easily overpowering the attacker who had landed on his stomach, face pressed into the floor. Whoever the fool was, he seemingly lacked any sort of experience to adequately resist him as well. Hissing, Naruto straddled him with his legs, pinning his arms to the side. Having arrested him, he reached for the man's hair and jerked the head up.

"Who are you?!" he snarled. "Who sent—"

Seeing the man's face, the question caught in his throat.

He knew the face.

" _Kai,_ " he whispered, hoping it was just some disguise that would be released but no shift of a transformation came.

And he couldn't fathom it. Couldn't see any logic or reasoning. And that alone vexed him.

He was the one who had served the drinks at dinner. The man from the hospital he had seen by himself, the man who wept to himself. Around his neck was a small silver trinket. The one he'd been holding before. A locket. And as before, his cheeks were wet.

But yet he glared at Naruto as if he was a _monster._

For a moment, that look burned into Naruto like a hot iron, freezing time as he stared at him in horror. Then reality came back to him, breaking the moment.

He remembered falling to the side, groaning as his shoulder suddenly throbbed, the adrenaline rush preventing holding back the pain now extinguished. "Ugh." He touched the hurting area, and tilting his hand back up towards him, saw vivid red drip down his fingers. It wasn't deep. But it hurt and was releasing what felt like a lot of blood.

"What's this about, man?"

He glanced at the knife now that had spun besides the bed, and reached for it. A simple kitchen knife. Hissing he threw it to the side. "Seriously?"

He had been cut before with all kinds of blades and weapons, kunai, needles, and even a few kusarigama, but a freaking _kitchen_ knife, and originally aimed to the _back_ no less?!

"I—"

"Naruto!"

Karin's voice rushed towards him, Sasuke's quickly following suit.

"Get away from him!"

They were pulled apart and Naruto pushed to the side, caught by Karin who wrapped her fingers around his bloodied shirt until she found the source of all the blood. Her thin fingers pressed against it and he grit his teeth. "It's already healing, but you need to keep pressure on it. Alright, idiot. Keep pressure there."

And Sasuke. He wrenched the assailant to him. Pressing his sword to the man's neck. " _You're dead,"_ he snarled.

Hearing this, the man made no protests. Just closed his eyes as if in acceptance.

"Don't!" Naruto gasped, unable to be as accepting. He pushed away from Karin, not caring about pressure, or the cut for that matter. Ignoring her protests. "Dang it, Naruto, it's gonna not heal right!"

"Don't what? Naruto! He tried killing you, he dies!"

"No!"

Words became tangled, and part of it seemed just because the boys were so wound up. Anything would be subjected to the act of arguing and fighting between the two. Yet something more was pushing Naruto than just that urge. _Tears._...

This man wasn't some soulless enemy or monster. There was more to this than a simple but doomed assassination attempt. (If it could even be called that.)

With Naruto's protests and the commotion outside it from curious onlookers, things became more chaotic and in all of it, the man made no attempt to flee. Then, paper came rushing in, swirling like a tornado until it took the shape of a woman. Konan.

With a wave of her hand, the door swung shut, giving them privacy.

"What is the meaning of this?" she demanded, eyes darting between everyone, before landing icily on Sasuke who still had his sword positioned to slit the Rain civilian's throat.

"There was just an assassination attempt," Sasuke spat, motioning towards his captive with a harsh jerk. "Who is he working for!?"

"That man is just a civilian." Her eyes narrowed at the man this time. "A dead one. Touching an alley of Pain-sama is nothing less than an act of insubordination worthy of execution. "

Sasuke's arm readied, swinging.

"No! That's not necessary!" Naruto grabbed the blade, jerking it down before it could slice into its intended target. "I'm fine, I swear."

Konan glanced at him sternly. Her eyes narrowed as they then began scanning the blood on him, following its path as the crimson made its way down his arm in hot rivulets, and glanced to the bed, reading what had happened herself. "The punishment for murder—even failed attempts, and assassinations, and espionage is death here Naruto, and nothing less. People have died here for less, and he is of the Rain." She reached for the man's face, grabbing his chin and tilted it up towards her. He submissively lowered his gaze to the floor, not speaking a word. "He knows this. So it must be."

She dropped his chin and glanced to Naruto.

Naruto looked to her in return, eyes pleading. He needed to know...

"Konan...Just give me time to figure things out. I need to know why before you guys do what can't be undone."

"Pain will not approve."

"If memory serves right, he tried killing me too. You wanna see the scars?"

She grit her teeth. "That was different."

"Is it?"

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

He came into the room, arms full of huge rolls of paper. Grinning, Suigetsu used his foot to close the door behind him.

"Got some!" he called to the group around him. The Taka. Or rather, those still present of it. Juugo was still missing, assumably trying to learn to control the dark side of himself.

"Good." Karin began reaching for the scrolls when the swordsman just suddenly gave up carrying them and they fell before the medic could take hold of any. The rolls tumbled and spread out in a heap, some rolling away.

"Dang it, Suigetsu!" she barked, slapping him.

"Wha?" he said, throwing up his hands. "They were gonna end up all over the floor anyway. These things are _huge._ "

And huge the parchments were. Maps to be precise, each a decent size.

Carefully, both she and Suigetsu set to unrolling the maps and arranging them on the ground, using small rocks to hold the ends down and prevent them from curling. As they did so, the other two members sat quietly to themselves. Naruto, and Sasuke.

There were a good variety of maps, all supplied by the Rain's Intel Division. From colorful climate, economic and topographical maps to plainer political, road, and thematic maps and charts. The Rain Village even in their previous isolation had such a wealth of its then-enemies and their lands. And all of which Karin insisted had to be studied with scrutiny.

"We seriously need to get to business," she continued, looking pointedly at Naruto. "You started a _war_. What is it you plan to do exactly? Either you're making the first move or someone else will, and whoever does will have the advantage."

Naruto only stared blankly in response, fingers rubbing his shoulder.

Karin, kneeling over the biggest map, pushed her glasses up. "What exactly is the course we're taking, anyway?"

Suigetsu shrugged. Sasuke merely glared at the wall.

"Naruto?" she called, and even though she had called his name relatively loudly, he still stared out the window, unresponsive.

Sasuke was refusing to be helpful so that just left the instigator of this whole mess, and he was being just as stubborn, although not on purpose.

"Hello? Earth to Naruto," Suigetsu laughed, tapping his knee. "Come on. Wake up, buddy."

"Huh?"

"How are we doing this, exactly, Naruto?" Karin repeated, pointing at the map, finger on the Rain. "You've yet to give us a cohesive plan."

"Oh..." Slowly, he maneuvered next to her and over the map. He picked up a thick marker and held it above the paper. After a moment's pause he drew a large circle, encompassing nearly the entire world clockwise. "We follow this path."

Suigetsu scoffed. "That _it_?"

"Yeah..."

Karin rolled her eyes. "A _circle?_ Naruto, that is way too vague! Look, I know you're tired, we all are, but we need to know what we're about to do!"

His face had that blank look again. The look of someone who wasn't in the same room.

"This is getting us nowhere. It's a huge mistake!"

"No." He rubbed his face, shaking his head. "I'm sorry guys. I _do_ have a plan, it's just..." He closed his eyes. "Why did he do it? The way he _looked_ at me..."

The servant wasn't a ninja, or even trained in any martial arts. What kind of fool was he to attack a trained shinobi? In the open no less.

"Why?" he could only whisper.

Karin sighed. "Let's just do this in the morning, alright. Go get some sleep, idiot."

"Yeah." On that, he practically flew out of there.

Suigetsu gawked dumbfounded at the door before turning to Karin. "Well that was weird."

Karin dark eyebrows arched down and she gave a worried look to Sasuke who had sat towards the corner, silent but yet his eyes spoke otherwise, having been attentive the entire time.

Silently, the sound of rain enveloped the air around them and one by one they left, the clock striking midnight.

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

He had been placed in Solitary. Not because he had given officers trouble, no he was strangely submissive and well-mannered, but it was to protect him from the other inmates who were mostly battle-hardened and vicious ninja. Types of men who had landed themselves in Konoha Bingo Books.

With the Rain's past systems, civilians and shinobi alike had always been thrown in one jail. Often times the same cell. Such tactics was used to keep fear in the hearts of the civilians. As for the ninja of the village, they needed only look at what happened to Hanzo. That slaughter would always weigh heavily on those who knew Pain to be their ruler.

Naruto hoped this and the judicial system of the Rain would change with the village's shift away from a dictatorship.

The cell was small, and dimly lit. Outside, a Pain stood guard. And would continue to do so, fingers continuously wrapped around a rod. To Nagato, well-behaved or not, the man was a deadman and he the Rain's executioner.

 _Just hang on. Let me figure this out._

"His name is Akio," Pain had said before allowing Naruto access to the cell.

According to Nagato, Akio had lived in the Rain his entire life, with no contact with outside villages or groups. Married a few years back to another local. Now was to spend the rest of his life in this cell. Flies buzzed around its basic features. It contained only a small area designated as a bathroom, and a thin slab of board, chained to the wall that served as a cot. Akio sat on it with a number of cuffs locked around his limbs and belt. On his face, was the most miserable look as he sat on the plank of wood, knitting his fingers together.

Closing his eyes, Naruto could still see the tears running down his face, both at the hospital and in his room.

He wanted to know. To _understand_.

"Why'd you do it?" Naruto asked softly, keeping his gaze down. He didn't like looking at bars. Wasn't too fond of cells especially and after remembering the man's tears, sensed there was more to his unfortunate turn of events than just his pathetic attempt on Naruto's life.

"Why did you try to kill me?" Naruto repeated.

The man said nothing and glared at the floor.

"They were going to kill you for it. Pain still wants to. I'm the only reason you're still alive."

"..."

He pushed his voice to sound firm this time, with an air of authority. "Answer me, Akio. Why me?"

 _Silence._ The man did, however, shift just a bit, as if he would have spoken but stopped himself.

"Were you taking orders from someone else? Was it for money? If you don't tell me, you'll have to tell Pain and his methods tend to be brute as you well know. And if you're in with the masked man...You're a fool. No good comes from him."

Finally the man responded, although he still wouldn't even give Naruto a glance.

"It was my own will. I would never be bought with money." His voice was weary. Broken.

"So why then?"

"You," he croaked.

"Me?"

"You're the Kyuubi. I heard it yesterday. You. You're _it_."

Heard it yesterday? Then Naruto remembered the dinner from then. Sasuke's words: " _That was our original deal, Naruto. You promised you would use the_ Kyuubi _inside you to our advantage."_

 _The cup in Akio's hand had slipped then, and shattered into pieces..._

And then that presence he'd felt later on. And why the look he had given Naruto hurt so much.

All the pieces fell into place now.

It was the same look the villagers back in Konoha had given him, born of hatred and fear.

This man _hated_ him. _Loathed_ him to his core.

It was something Naruto didn't like feeling and certainly wasn't accustomed to outside Konoha. Let alone these days at all.

"But I'm not the Kyuubi," Naruto answered. "I'm just his _host_. Understand? I carry him inside me, but have the full reigns over my action. And he's never done anything to you or this village."

The pitiable man gave a harsh laugh that ended sounding like a cry. Catching his breath he unfolded his fist, revealing the silver locket he'd worn earlier. Inside the necklace was a picture of a woman's face, the other was the face of a toddler, a huge smile on her small lips. They were beautiful. Not lavish, but a humbled kind of beauty.

"They your family?"

"Yes. I originally gave this locket to my wife...Now it's is all I have left in the world. Pictures of the past. And you're the cause of it."

Naruto's brow crinkled. "What are you talking about?"

"When we were attacked, they wanted _you_. " His voice broke and his eyes squeezed shut as if he couldn't bear to speak anymore. But yet he did, drawing every word from his hatred, letting it fuel is otherwise broken self. "My wife! She was buried by concrete! And my little girl..."

Naruto shifted uncomfortably, sensing where this was going, and he didn't want to hear it. Not that he didn't care, but he couldn't bear it. Feelings gnawed at him, lurking in the pit of his stomach. His heart.

"My sweet little girl's body just couldn't take it anymore. She died at the hospital this morning. After so many weeks of laying there in pain, my little girl... I tried to work on the side but it wasn't enough for the operations she was needing. Her little system just wasn't recovering."

His words were painful. And he wept. "She was so scared. Do you know what it's like to tell a mere child it's going to be all right when the cold, hard truth is that she's dying? That she won't even get the chance to live a full life? Her last words were 'Daddy, where's mommy?' and I couldn't even answer her! And it's all because a Konoha shinobi's jutsu demolished the apartment they were in. I should have been with them but...It's all the Kyuubi's fault!"

Naruto flinched. He could only imagine the demands during the attack. The Kyuubi or their village. A then weakened Pain could only do so much.

And that factor of the mess _was_ Naruto's fault. But when Pain had held him against his will, it should've been obvious he would have fought back and managed to try and take out a few of the Rinnegan eyes as the least he could do while they kept him from his chakra.

But then again, hadn't Konoha's actions during the previous war started this entire mess with Nagato?

The cycle of shinobi was cruel to the bystanders and Naruto almost regretted being a part of it until he remembered why he was here now. How he was trying to change it. It was for this man, his family, and all those who are affected by the cruel cycles.

"I'm sorry for your loss. I admit, I rendered a few of the Pains useless before, when I had been captured. But the attack itself I would have stopped in a heartbeat if I could have. If I had known in time. I would have talked the head of Konoha out of it, I swear I would have!"

"It doesn't matter! The Kyuubi is still responsible! They were my entire world and you made them suffer!"

Naruto shook his head, and grasped the bars. "Listen to me. It wasn't my doing! I'm sorry for what happened, but killing me wouldn't have brought them back. And surely you knew you would fail, to top it. So why'd you do it?"

"Because I want to die," he growled. "I wanted to hurt you for what you've done, then be executed for my crimes! I was supposed to die but you had to take even that from me too!"

Naruto blinked in shock, remembering how he had made no protests when Sasuke was inches from slitting his throat. He actually _wanted_ execution?

"Listen, Akio, you're not the only one who's lost. Pain killed my sensei, the closest thing I had to a family. Yeah it hurt. But I recovered, and we're _both_ here now, recovering from it, and you can too."

"Your own misery is nothing compared to losing your own flesh and blood, your own beloved! And my girl, my Chihiro. She was just _a toddler_!"

"That still doesn't excuse what you did. I may not have a daughter yet, but the thought of harm coming to my wife would be enough to drive me to irrational acts or choices but...I know better. Wouldn't have allowed myself to make it worse. What you did, none of it would have helped. Only brought more pain to you."

The man only shook his head. "It should have led to my death! Only then would I be reunited with them. So why did you butt in on that affair, huh!? Why torture me further like this?"

"It doesn't work that way. A dead man is worthless."

He stood angrily, his hands shaking in their restraints. "If you really care about the wellbeing of others, as a shinobi, grant me that mercy! Just do it quickly, my loss has been torturous enough."

Again Naruto shook his head. "One day—"

The man didn't allow him to finish. One of the guards had to come in to sedate him and Naruto could only turn away, whispering, "I'm sorry," over and over, knowing it fell on deaf ears.

Distraught, barely noticed the Pain come beside him. Gripping his arm.

"Naruto," it said. "There are some hearts even you won't be able to reach. You should have left him alone."

"No," he said sourly, shaking Pain's hand off. "I...But I can't just give up! I mean...Why am _I_ in the wrong here? What good does letting someone just die accomplish? He's not some psychopath who's lost all his humanity like that Black Zetsu, or even Obito—why should he be given the treatment they deserve! Can't he see he can make it through this? To live for them. It...It doesn't have to be over...Once you're dead, there's no coming back."

But was forcing him to stay alive truly better or not?

"Naruto, you're going to have to learn that sometimes, there's just nothing you can do. That man doesn't want your help and he won't be the first. There will always be people who can't be saved simply because they'll refuse help and nothing you can do will change that."

"Then what else am I supposed to do?!" he insisted, not content.

"That's an answer for you to come to, just as I once believed in my own. And you will have to find yours, the right one, if you want to bring true peace. What would you do if a Kage was the same as he?"

Naruto winced. "But it's different. He's just a man. A _father._ "

"You can't save everyone, Naruto. You must accept this. There are things, natures, that are bigger than you. Bigger than us."

"Maybe," he whispered. "But I can't give up."

 _I have to keep trying. It's the only thing I_ can _do._

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

_-xXx-_

 **EPISODE 1: Taka's New Wings (Part 2)**

- **the one where they fight-** **  
**

"Anger may in time change to gladness; vexation may be succeeded by content.

But a kingdom that has once been destroyed can never come again into being;

nor can the dead ever be brought back to life.

Hence the enlightened ruler is heedful, and the good general full of caution.

This is the way to keep a country at peace and an army intact."

―Sun Tzu

 _The Art of War_ , Ch. XII, 20-22

_-xXx-_

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

It had to have been the longest night in all their lives. Anxiousness for the morrow rendering the act of sleep fruitless.

Sasuke was not exempt.

Most of his night had been spent sitting on the edge of his bed in deep thought. A few rounds around the city. Pain's tower to be more precise. Naruto's sudden alliance still didn't sit well with him. They had passed each other in the shadows, no words spoken between them. Knowing Sasuke could intercept with Nagato's core body if he wanted to.

When it came morning, he found himself in the hotel's lobby with Karin. She sat on one of the couches along the window, where she sipped some tea from a rather ornate tea cup. The former Akatsuki woman also sat, where they were apparently discussing matters of Nagato and Naruto. Suigetsu was probably stocking up on supplies for their journey that was to begin that day, according to what Naruto had said at dinner the previous day.

Sasuke sat on the opposite couch and began a quick breakfast of bread and rice. Eating, he noticed a plant on the table between him and the women. Thick blades protruded from a traditional orange pot. But the Aloe Vera plant itself was not what caught his attention, it was the name painted on the pot.

Marked on it in thick letters, the name, **Ukki-kun II**.

Apparently Naruto had gotten himself a new "pet".

After an awkward silence between the three of them, Konan gave Karin a friendly bow and took her leave. Once she was gone, Karin spoke up. "He's still bothering me. Something's not right."

He blinked. "What?"

"Naruto," she answered, taking another sip. Carefully she set the cup down on the table and grabbed a smaller one filled with clear liquid, and used it to water "Ukki-kun II". "He's been sitting there since dawn. It's just...concerning."

Curious, Sasuke looked out the window where she motioned to. In the distance he could make out the form of a person, kneeling over a near-floating slab of broken concrete.

"He's been there for hours," she said. _Go check on him_ , she seemed to be trying to signal to him, as if this was also a continuation of their conversation from last night that had been cut short.

' _Things happened while we weren't there with him and he's trying to play it cool. But... Something changed him a little and—'_

Sasuke let out a soft exhale. There was no avoiding the fact they needed to talk. Might as well snap him out of his emotional stupor while he was at it. "Alright. I'll be back."

_-xXx-_

He sat, kneeling, on a huge crack of concrete surrounded by water. Both on the concrete and on the surface of the waters flowers had been placed. The white flowers in the water bobbed up and down, tapping against the stone. There was a worn copy of Jiraiya's book in his hands and for a moment, it seemed as if he'd lay it into the dark surface to sink. A memorial, Sasuke realized.

Without a sound, he stood behind Naruto, waiting for him to finish. Naruto shifted, wrapping a hand around his wrist as its hand held the book. "This is where Jiraiya-sensei died, Sasuke" he whispered. Somehow not only having sensed him but he knew it was Sasuke that was behind him.

His senses were surprisingly more adept than they used to be. Sasuke didn't know what had contributed to this. Whether it was his stronger bond with the fox spirit or just his state of meditation. A byproduct of his Sage Mode.

Sasuke moved beside him, but didn't bother to kneel. Jiraiya was a master, but Sasuke had never known him more than that. Hadn't particularly cared. Had no respects when Orochimaru had died, wouldn't now either. Those condolences were better spent elsewhere.

"I see."

Naruto rubbed his nose. "I...I wanted to give him a proper memorial. A burial, you know, with this but..." His grip on his dearly-loved book tightened. "He was my _godfather_. And it was here he was killed. Right _here_. And if I had known...If they had just told me...He would still be here, I bet. Or maybe I would have went with him. He needn't have been _alone_."

The book quivered.

"But I hafta finish this, hafta complete his mission. And now I have your brother's too."

"That's not yours to take."

"He gave it to me, Sasuke."

The Uchiha closed his mouth, almost scowling.

"And I'm taking it. They're connected anyway." He shook his head, closing his eyes. "You'd think it'd be easier for me to say goodbye before I do though, but..."

 _I'm not ready._

"Then don't," Sasuke said.

Kami knows he hadn't put his kin to rest. Nor would he ever. Not until Danzo and the elders were in the ground, and only after they had been subjected to every torture they had inflicted on his clan and brother. And more. He would be their demon, and use the Uchiha's power to inflict every bit of hell on them as he could before taking them there.

Naruto's form hunched further, his fingers tightening around his arm. Barely audibly he whispered to the grave.

"I won't fail again. No one else is going to suffer if I have anything to say about it, and I will. I won't let more get hurt, not shinobi like you, or people like Akio."

"Easier said than done. You're just one human. An idiot at that."

Naruto sat up, eye-lids half opened in frustration. "Shut up, Sasuke."

His time was done here. Naruto began tucking his book away. Sasuke backed up to give him some space as Naruto- turned from the grave marker, his eyes wet. Chuckling in an embarrassed way, he wiped them with his shirt sleeves.

"Stupid rain." He paused, hoping Sasuke would buy it but knowing he wouldn't have. "You didn't see me like this, deal?"

Sasuke shrugged, the motion made in apathy.

"You know, Sasuke," he said, backing further from the grave. "You're the only one I've not gotten an answer from."

"On what?"

"This whole thing. With the Kage. Going after them. And Obito. And Danzo."

"I haven't."

"Well," he scoffed. " Are you with me? Shisui and Nagato are. Even your team."

Sasuke's mouth drew in a firm line.

"Tell me, Sasuke. Will you stand with us?"

Sasuke couldn't help smirk. It was almost pleading. Naruto was the one that needed _him._

"I know we have our differences, and you have the biggest ego in the universe. But you need this just as much as I do."

"I'm perfectly capable of going after Danzo myself."

"Maybe so, but it's so much deeper than that and you know it. Those who follow him will retaliate and it'll continue forever until you die. That's why we have to do this together."

"According to you," he retorted skeptically.

Naruto shook his head frustratedly. "Do I have to _prove_ myself to you first? Is that it?"

Sasuke gave him a warning look. "Why is it you think I must be a part of your grand scheme that's just asking for trouble? The Taka is _my_ team. Not yours to lead."

Naruto sighed. "All right. Let's work it out in the only way we seem to know how to. Fight me."

"Excuse me?"

"It's okay for you to initiate a fight, like on that hospital rooftop long ago, but not me? I said _fight me_."

Sasuke sneered at him. He would beat him to the ground if he had to, and he would happily do so, but they both knew Naruto wasn't the type to tuck tail and give up when he lost. "And the victor?"

"If I win, you help me out and we take care of Danzo when I say we do. _I_ call the shots."

"No."

"Okay, even then. We'll be partners."

"No."

"Yes."

Naruto would keep repeating himself for hours, so Sasuke skipped ahead. "And if _I_ win?"

"Do what you will. Just don't expect complete submission. From _anyone_. This means Nagato and Konan as well."

"You _threatening_ me?"

Naruto smirked. "Am I? I just know I'm not going to be anyone's lapdog anymore. Take that as you will." He pointed towards the outer boundaries of the city. "We fight, it has to be further away from here. This village has seen enough battles."

"It's settled then."

"'Sides, I need to stretch my legs before we take off. You'll see I'm not the same genin I used to be."

_-xXx-_

To Sasuke's utter surprise, Naruto had disappeared.

Lips curling in an amused sneer, his fingers wrapped around the hilt of his blade. So this was how he was trying to prove himself, huh?

 _Still a loser._

One who could not hide from an _Uchiha._ Especially after his recent implant of Itachi's eyes. Without even the faintest trifle of effort his eyes became enveloped by deep crimson. Carefully they scanned around the dark beams of the unfinished towers around him. There were numerous exposed frames, making for an interesting battlefield Naruto had chosen. Plenty of places to hide.

But he was no ordinary shinobi. His Sharingan nearly instantly pinpointed where the attacks would be coming from.

 _One, two, three. Three behind me. One coming from the side, and one from above._ Five forms of Naruto, each with equally distributed chakra. Fine by him.

With Naruto being so rash, he would be hidden among the clones in attempt to be clever. But Sasuke knew him. Once one knew him, he was no longer unpredictable. And therefore all the more defeatable.

And Sasuke was going to end this quickly.

He slowly pulled out his blade as he moved along the dark shadows of the skeleton frames, careful to not make a sound. It was a good thing Naruto healed quickly.

Else this could be fatal.

Without a sound, he twisted in a sudden turn and in it, slashed at the incoming ambush, slicing through their sides and cutting a good half foot into each. But instead of blood, he got poofs of smoke. Shadows, of course. Then again, more were coming. He swung his fist up, Chidori cackling on it just as the final form was crashing down on him. The jutsu collided and the blond was thrown across the ground, writhing.

Now was the time. Sasuke's eyes spun, preparing for an Genjutsu to trap him in, to finish his pathetic attempt fast, when all of a sudden, he was sent tumbling forward by a sharp jab from behind, electricity exploding through his own body.

 _What?!_

Hissing, he forced his fingers to move again, the movement nearly impossible from the burning sensation of the electricity. But he had to summon his Chidori Stream to cancel the outside current out. He managed to after a moment of fight, and his body sparked with his own current, the pain fading. Wincing, he forced his legs to move as well. To get up.

Recovering, he then he saw it. The blond before him disappeared in a poof. It had been another clone.

Sasuke jerked around, fists balled. Far away, Naruto stood, his bow in hands. Now being seen out in the open and without another arrow readied, Naruto flicked the weapon down so it snapped into a thick blade-shape. Frustrated, Sasuke pulled the arrow from his side. Inspecting it to figure out what had shocked him, he noticed a mechanic piece attached to the end of it, crafted to act as a taser of sorts.

"How you like my own home-made Chidori?" Naruto called, grinning widely, getting his weapon into an offensive stance. "Of course it still can't compete with jutsu—"

Naruto had only exposed his true position. What a fool. Sasuke rushed towards him, hands coming together to form the Rat seal, then twisted through the other signs with lightning speed before forming the final seal with quick furry. _Tiger._

"I wouldn't do that if I was you!"

But his cry came too late. (Not that Sasuke would have heeded the warning anyway.)

His fire didn't just spew out from his lips, it _exploded_ and the heat of it seared into him.

The entire plane of concrete seemed to have caught on fire as if his justu had backfired and was thrown back at him instead. Heat rushing and burning the air furiously, he was forced to take higher ground and stare at the wild flames dancing below. Naruto in the meanwhile literally disappeared, his peculiar teleporting jutsu sweeping him away from the danger in less than a heartbeat.

Heat filling the area, Sasuke's mind raced. There was no reason his jutsu should have malfunctioned like that. Thinking this, he noticed a particular scent in the air.

The battlefield had been rigged with oil before he had summoned his flames. But how? Sasuke would have known well in advance if the place was covered with oil. Ah, he knew now. Naruto's clones. While Sasuke was dispatching them, they must have had some on them that was released when they disappeared, and the rain would have helped mess with his sense of smell as well.

Though within a structure, the majority of the inside was exposed to multiple shafts penetrated by rain. In it, the flames let loose thick plumes of smoke.

Covering his nose and mouth with his collar, Sasuke smiled to himself. Naruto was being resourceful for once. Actually utilizing tools and fields he normally didn't.

For the first time in a long time, Sasuke actually felt challenged. But it ended here. Naruto would be out of tricks and over confident of himself for "wearing" Sasuke out without even lifting a finger.

He'd make his first move while the smoke still covered the area, just as any ninja worth their salt would know to do. And Sasuke was far the superior when it came to close-range tactics. Not to mention, Naruto would be blinded in his own smoke.

Just as he knew he would, Naruto came at him fast, and he met his weapon with a _clang._ Striking the others blade, they jumped apart, and began circling each other like vultures.

"You have improved," Sasuke said, eyes following every move of Naruto's. He was doing well to focus on Sasuke as well. "But it doesn't make up for your stupidity!"

With an angry howl, Naruto moved towards the sound of Sasuke's voice, bashing his blade towards it. Sasuke whipped his up to block it in perfect timing.

"You're too susceptible to your emotions, Naruto," he continued, parrying the next attack. "That's why you why _you are not ready_ for war. For the life of a true shinobi. To come out from your fantasy and into the real world. Away from Konoha's protective walls."

As they exchanged blows, the smoke around them began to disperse. Clear of it, he now saw that Naruto was fighting with his eyes closed.

Seems he had trained with even Shisui for a short time.

The blond then opened them, and as he did, an orange color began to spread from around his eyes, expanding out, as did a yellow color in his irises. Sasuke could both see and feel the blond's chakra heighten.

He let out a smirk, tightening the grip on his sword, and their dance continued even faster, each strike harder than the last, especially from Naruto. Not only was he attacking harder, his bow's frame when compressed into a single unit was heavier than Sasuke's thin blade, and he knew to use that to his advantage.

Voice filled with anger, he exclaimed, "Maybe I'm not completely ready, but it's enough!"

Naruto shoved forward, and Sasuke felt his back collide into metal with a harsh _wam_. He grit his teeth and moved his head to the side just a powerful but contained Rasengan connected to the wall where his face had been.

Teeth gnashed, he punched. Hard.

In his Sage Mode, Naruto seemed to not have felt it, but Sasuke wasn't done yet. He launched his knee up, to distract him and slashed his blade up once he was given enough room. It caught with Naruto's unique blade and launched it into the air. Spinning, his choice weapon landed and clattered to a beam about five stories above them.

Naruto hissed, glancing up.

Then the race began. Sasuke thrusted his palm to the metal exterior, lighting the entire frame with his lightning. Naruto skidded back down, cursing. Then dashed to the side, reaching for a offhand pole. Thrusting it into the ground, he braced it with both hands and spun around it, building momentum to send himself flying feet-first into Sasuke, catching him in the stomach with insane speed. They both skidded and landed in the street, and the assaulting rain's downpour.

If Sasuke used his Chidori when it was pouring like it was now, he would likely electrocute the both of them to too extreme measures that weren't worth it in a simple spar like this.

Still, he had other jutsu at his disposal. And even if Naruto was keeping his eyes closed for the most of it to prevent Genjutsu—

His thoughts were cut short as Naruto attacked him with his pole, catching Sasuke's blade this time and nearly throwing it from his hands. But when it came to swords, Sasuke had had far more experience than Naruto and his grip was firm. Pushing forward to gain more force, he ripped it through the air, splitting Naruto's makeshift spear clean into two parts.

Stunned only for a moment, Naruto simply picked the other part back up and wielded both the rods as if nothing had happened. Dual wielding them in a flurry of constant attacks. Breath becoming lost to him. Panting, he pushed forward. Anyone else would be worn by now. But Uzumaki had stamina that was nothing to scoff at...Perhaps Sasuke shouldn't have written him off so early in the fight. It costing him dearly.

"Unlike you Sasuke, I haven't given up on the world!"

On that, Naruto yanked on a wire Sasuke had not took notice before, and a wave of explosions was let loose all around him. He swore in anger, once again forced to leap away to safety.

He must have landed where Naruto was expecting him to because a strike came from behind, knocking Sasuke to his knees. He landed with a frustrated grunt, cursing himself for not catching the clone that had been held off to the side this entire time. It came over him, holding Naruto's bow-blade millimeters from his throat.

"I win."

"Son of a—"

 _He had this planned right from the beginning!_

"You see Sasuke," he spoke, kneeling down and poking his forehead, his eyes strangely red, yet free from the Kyuubi's control, "I didn't start this war to fight."

Sasuke's brow knit in obvious realization.

The way Naruto was not only insisted but went through the trouble to set all this up, even sparred with everyone he could. He was absorbing everything he could... _I'm not the same genin I used to be._

"There's more to it."

"Of course there is. I'm not the big idiot everyone makes me out to be. Like you, I see the need to improve myself if I'm going to accomplish my goals. You see, the villages, I want into their archives."

Sasuke smirked as he pushed himself away from the blade pointed at him. "That's illegal."

"Not completely. Such knowledge was taken from others, and I'm only borrowing their scrolls. They'll get it back just as Konoha did the scroll Mizuki had me take. Besides, if I'm going to become stronger, I need more than what I got now, especially since I don't have Jiraiya around anymore. I'll have to continue the rest of my training myself. And I want to learn _everything_ I possibly can. It's the only way I'll be able to take Obito and the rest of his forces out. I've come this far with just what I have now. But it's not enough. I'm sick of the destruction of this world. I'm sick of being asked unanswerable questions. It's time I find the answers. Time for the dawn of a new era."

He pulled the rod back. "That's why I need you... _Partner._ "

Sasuke shook his head. "You're insane."

"No." He smiled, extending out his hand in offering. "I'm the number one unpredictable, hyperactive, show-off ninja."

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

"So, this is the order I have decided on: Cloud, Mist, Sand, Stone...and then the Leaf," Naruto announced boldly, surrounded by the Taka and Nagato and Konan at the meeting table once again. This time he spoke with assurance. Sasuke seated right beside him. "In this circle, I will go after the Kage and speak with him individually. I also want into their archives. With the combined knowledge of the villages, I'll have what I need to take out Kabuto and Obito."

Karin nodded. "But collecting them is not going to be easy. Villages are extra edgey with their resources. Especially these days."

Naruto's lips curled in a smile. "It'll just make it all the more a fun challenge. Besides, ninja are masters of spying, is that not right?"

"Yeah, yeah," Karin muttered.

Konan bit her lip, shaking her head. "But what of those in direct opposition, Naruto. What is your _first_ move for them?"

Naruto smirked. "Obito now knows we're all against him but we managed to destroy his things beforehand. This would be good for us, except he's now partnered up with Kabuto who still has all of Orochimaru's crap. So, before we go on our true campaign to win the Kage over and for me to absorb all the knowledge I can from the different villages—I mean that is how I'm going to get strong enough to protect the people—"

"Get on with it," Sasuke grumbled.

"Okay, okay. Anyway, before we can do all that, we need to cut Kabuto down a peg or two. We'll go to the Sound before the Lightning, and eradicate his supplies and bring down any system or traffics still running from Orochimaru's lot. Once we've done that, Obito and Kabuto will be forced to stall any plans until they can recover and restock. This should buy us time to deal with the Kage. Furthermore, as long as we're on the move and keep to guerilla methods, it'll be near impossible to find us."

Nagato's puppet stared at him incredulously and Suigetsu clicked his tongue. "That actually sounds tactically smart. Guerilla tactics? I'm impressed you would come up with that."

"I'm not an idiot, guys."

Sasuke seemed to nod in approval over Naruto's plan. Still, commented a bit skeptically, "So, we hit the Sound first. Although, you will need to be mentally prepared for it. The Sound is nothing like the Konoha you know."

Karin chirped a "That's for sure, Konoha's biggest _boy scout_."

"I know that it's not like Konoha," he said, grumbling. "I mean, this city ain't either and it ain't bothering me."

Suigetsu chuckled darkly. "Yeah but the Sound is a place where it's not just structurally different, but trafficking of all kinds is the accepted normal. It thrives off the black market and violent take overs by different groups. There used to be a daimyo, but after Orochimaru died, others fought to take his place, then gain control over the entire land. He's been missing ever since. Probably in a gutter. Or at least, that's the rumor."

Naruto rubbed his head. "What kind of trafficking are we talking about exactly?"

"Practically all. Orochimaru lived for this stuff, and man are you gonna be in for some culture shock. It'll have you running back home and crying to your mommy."

Naruto glared at him. "Stop Suigetsu. I ain't some kid. I can handle it, and you bet Imma bring it all down too."

Getting up to leave now that their meeting was technically over, he reached for his crow, and began securing a small slip of paper to its leg. "I better send this guy out first..." Giving it a stroke, he said to it in a firm voice. "Konoha."

The bird squaked before flapping its wings.

Suigetsu giggled as he too stood up, stretching. "Sending a love message to that chick of yours?"

"Do not refer to her as that," Naruto stated distastefully. "Her name is Hinata. Hyuuga-Namikaze."

"Yeah right," Karin laughed. "Oh, that reminds me. When you were talking with that man, you mentioned something about you having a wife. A bit of an imagination there."

So they had eavesdropped on him. Lovely.

"It's not. Ask Shisui. After Nagato freed me I went back home and kinda..." Blood rushed to his face, heating it like pepper. Oh man, why did Suigetsu have to start this?

Karin started. "You did _not_!"

He laughed nervously. "I did."

"Oh my gosh," Suigetsu deadpanned, "he ain't dying a virgin after all!"

Naruto threw a scroll at his head and Konan face-palmed. "I'm beginning to regret this."

Karin doing her best to ignore the boys, glanced to Sasuke in an air of shock. "But aren't the Hyuuga this big deal clan like the Uchiha? Do they allow for marriage outside the clan?"

"No."

"She could get in trouble," Karin said sternly, turning toward Naruto now, interrupting his and Suigetsu's squabble. "You can't just do whatever you please. You're supposed to be an _adult_ now, Naruto!"

"In trouble?"

"Yes."

"Crap! I hadn't even thought of that! Neji's gonna kill me and I don't even want to think about her dad!" His hands raced for his face in a panicked cry. "And I _left_ her by herself to deal with it! Oh my gosh, I seriously hadn't thought of it at all! Sorry guys but I gotta go! I'll be back before sunset, I swear! Then we can head out to the Sound!"

"Wait, Naruto!" Sasuke called, but it was too late.

Upon Naruto's disappearance, the Uchiha groaned in annoyance. "I hate him. I really do."

He couldn't keep doing that!

Suigetsu laughed. "He's something else, huh?"

 **END OF EPISODE 1: TAKA'S NEW WINGS**

* * *

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

_-xXx-_

 **TO START A WAR TABLE OF CONTENTS /Up Next:**

EPISODE _0\. PROLOGUE: NARUTO'S RETURN_

 _A year after his declaration and all the trials that would follow, a more mature and battle-scarred Naruto dares to return home to hide Hinata and their child away, only for everything to fall apart and into the final enemy's hands. It's his family, or the future._

 _How the heck did he get here?_

PART I: ART OF WAR

 _EPISODE 1. Taka's New Wings_ _(2 Parts)_

 _Naruto has just declared war. And subsequently drags his new team along for the ride. Firstly, upon meeting in the Rain, they find out Shisui's recovery it going to take much longer than expected in its complexity, then a mourning man tries to kill Naruto, and later, upon confronting him about everything, Sasuke is not happy. But what else is new? What? Naruto suddenly disappears? AGAIN!?_

 _Welcome to the Elemental Nations, Year One_

 _ **EPISODE**_ _**2\. Meet the Hyuuga**_

 **After tying up some loose ends in Konoha, Naruto confronts the biggest one before heading out on his first campaign: his sudden marriage with Hinata. It's a bit too late to ask for Daddy's permission and Neji is not happy either. Oh boy, what has he done? And to make matters worse, Hinata is throwing up. Why's she gotta catch a bug now of all times?**

 _EPISODE 3. Welcome to the Sound_

 _EPISODE 4. A+B=D. (Darn Drama!)_

 _EPISODE 5. The Ruins of Uzushiogakure_

PART II: SONG TO THE SIREN

 _EPISODE 6. What Becomes of Snow_

 _EPISODE 7. We Who Wander This Wasteland_

 _EPISODE 8. I Started a Joke_

 _EPISODE 9. A Death in the Family_

 _EPISODE 10. APOCALYPSE_

PART III: TO THE FUTURE

 _EPILOGUE: Hero (Tianxia)_

 _ **Episodes listed above will occasionally take more than one chapter to unfold and may lead into story arcs.**_

BONUS

 **(1*)** _ **HIDDEN EPISODE**_ _**1\. Shisui's Story**_

 _An episode that will most likely be posted right after this one, or follow within the Hyuuga Episode. Either way, Shisui's survival and life will be delved into as he talks with Sasuke. Whether or not his words take root in the young Uchiha is another matter and story altogether. One that will be resolved by this story's end._

 _It all began with the Uchiha, and so ends._

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

* * *

 **AN: Thank you to my reviews and follows!**

 _As for this story, and this episode in particular, I've got a number of pictures in mind and one of them is of the Taka itself. When it comes to appearances, while Karin and Suigetsu are sporting the same look, I have it my mind that Sasuke changed to his Shinden: Raikō-hen novel appearance. If you google it, you'll find it's an in-between outfit and hair-due, if you will, between teenage him and adult him. Naruto's is very much close to his The Last appearance, except with a lot more holsters and straps. To me, that look is cool and has a military style to it which will fit this story well._

 _As for excuse on the length of time this first episode took, I can finally spill my guts on one of the main reason this took so long, and that is, this chapter evolved past my original plans, and because it did, the time to write it exceedingly grew with each week as I spun new angles in my mind._

 _ **Why spin new angles when I had a short chapter in mind?**_ _Because it's original boringness and my original desire to pull a similar assassination attempt with the grief-stricken man soon after the climax with Pain in the original story (but there wasn't time to.)_ _So I finally found the place and time to, and I was inspired, actually, by Alex Ross and Paul Dini's straight up, beautifully phenomenal writing in a certain series of stories. In the first, they took a character I found so hard to relate to, one who seems so immortal, and made him human, in the fact that_ _ **though he try, even he can't save everyone simply because he could not change their hearts**_ _._ _ **But he still tried, and I was so amazed by this story that I wanted to draw inspiration from it for Naruto, y'know**_ _. And also have him be aware of this on his quest. The fact that he can't win everyone over just like that is a huge problem with his journey and I can't just ignore it when writing a story like this._

 **Again, thank you to my reviews and follows and I swear, I'll try getting through the Hyuuga episode fast cuz the Sound's gonna be SO fun to go through. It's a different world and kind of evil Naruto is not used to :)**

 _Really that's just my way of saying contrasting a character's innocence with others lack of is interesting._

 _Man, I'm in a very_ Dark Knight Returns _mood...Doesn't help I watched_ V for Vendetta _for the first time...Man, dem 80s..._

 **And yes, Ukki-kun is back! (you might need to google it) See, not only do I throw things in, I throw particular details that will resurface and mean something later, such as the spilling of the drink from Part 1. There is a small thing about it in this chapter that has meaning that will be shed much later.**

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_


	4. Meet the Hyuuga

_This is the chapter I begin what will become a gradual process of shedding light on Naruto's blank period, which begins with his and Hinata's night together to the days leading up to the Summit. There is a time he spent alone, and in Konoha's custody, and I had originally planned to begin this flashbacking process with Episode 1 but later chose against it even though timing wise, perhaps it would have been better. Nonetheless I will slowly delve into it, the Two Weeks Ago story and finish it around Episode 7 or so._

* * *

 **PREVIOUSLY:**

 _ **Naruto has just declared war on too many opposing forces to even count, and in doing so, subsequently drags his new team, Taka, along for the ride. Firstly, upon meeting in the Rain with his new ally and benefactors, Nagato and Konan, they find out Shisui's recovery is going to take much longer than expected in its complexity; then a mourning man tries to kill Naruto which only makes him realize the severity of the harsh ninja cycle all over again and why his mission is so important; and later, upon confronting him about everything, he challenges Sasuke to a duel, giving 110% to beat him and prove himself. All these aside, the Taka are finally ready to go to their first stop, the Sound...**_

 _ **Until his sudden relationship with the Hyuuga Heiress is brought up.**_

 _Karin glanced to Sasuke in an air of shock. "But aren't the Hyuuga this big deal clan like the Uchiha? Do they allow for marriage outside the clan?"  
_ " _No."  
_ " _She could get in trouble," Karin said sternly, turning toward Naruto. "You can't just do whatever you please. You're supposed to be an adult now, Naruto!"  
_ " _In trouble?"  
_ " _Yes."  
_ " _Crap! I hadn't even thought of that! Neji's gonna kill me and I don't even want to think about her dad!" His hands raced for his face in a panicked cry. "And I left her by herself to deal with it! Oh my gosh, I seriously hadn't thought of it at all! Sorry guys but I gotta go! I'll be back before sunset, I swear! Then we can head out to the Sound!"  
_ " _Wait, Naruto!" Sasuke called, but it was too late._

* * *

 **TO START A WAR**

 **BOOK I of III: ART OF WAR**

* * *

 _When she awoke, she curled her arms to herself for warmth, then shivered, realizing they were empty and she alone. Under normal circumstances this was normal. But not this morning._

 _Not this dawn._

 _Breathing slowly, she brought her fingers up and they glossed over the cool pearls around her neck before trailing down until they found and wrapped around the main piece. An orange round cut stone. And she smiled._

' _It's created from my DNA,' he had said about it. 'So even if we're separated, I'll always be able to come to you…If you'll have me that is.'_

 _She closed her eyes, fingers tight around her wedding gift and heart filled with hope._

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

There was woosh of his chakra, or sensations and air, and then he was tumbling down, on a hard floor, nausea swimming in him.

Catching his breath after a moment, and forcing himself to not get sick, Naruto took in his surroundings. He had only been in the Hyuuga Estate once, when he had found and spirited her away for that brief time, but never more than that. Even if he had reason to go there as a child, he would have never even been allowed to. The Hyuuga's were like royalty in Konoha.

The shock of feeling like he was in a palace (especially when compared to his small apartment) made him feel super self-conscious. He quickly got to his feet and tried straightening his clothes, and brushing any dirt that might have been on them off. His eyes continued to dart around in the meanwhile.

Traditional designs surrounded him, and everything in it, the furniture, even the floorboards, were made of fine materials, and it screamed of a legacy, or a long standing heritage, and the shock he had someone who loved him from this background amazed him even more. Speaking of her...

"Hinata," he whispered looking around, and failing to see her. Instead he found the room he was in very bare of people, and the only sign of even a personal item was just an oriental box which a bird and sunflower was painted on.

Curious of the lone box, he walked to it. Why had he teleported to this room when Hinata was not in it? Unless...

No, she had told him she would never leave it. But as he opened the box, his suspicions were confirmed.

He picked the necklace from it, worried. _Did she not like it?_ Thinking this, he bit his lip.

"I thought I saw foreign chakra suddenly appear."

At the sound of the stranger's voice he jumped, and spun around. "Oh!"

Pale eyes stared at him suspiciously.

"Oh! I'm sorry!" He dropped the necklace. "I'm not a thief or anything..." His voice trailed off.

The man seemed familiar. A Hyuuga definitely, but one he should know. Then it hit him: The necklace had been set in this particular room and away from Hinata on purpose. By this man.

"Um...You're—"

He didn't get time to finish, because another person entered the room, this one nearly crashing in in his rush. "Just as I thought," the newcomer spat, seeing who was inside, and the atmosphere filled with an intense aura with just their presence alone.

 _Neji._

Neji glared at him, his Byakugan eyes narrowed. Instead of his normal mission wear, he was garbed in a set of traditional clothes normally worn by the Branch Family. It was odd seeing Neji in his home setting.

It was even odder seeing him without his masked cool. Instead, his expression was one of anger. Lotsof and lotsof anger..

"Hey Neji," Naruto murmured sheepishly, rubbing his head. "And um...Mr. Hyuuga, sorry for the intrusion...Um." Words were lost to him. He wanted to ask about Hinata but...

 _Neji's glaring at me like he wants to kill me. Oh boy._

He didn't even know how to begin. _Sorry for taking your heiress...?_

"Let me handle him, Hiashi-sama," Neji spoke, his voice tight in a very controlled manner as he glared at Naruto still.

Before Naruto could decide what to say, Neji strided toward him, and grabbed his arm in a harsh vice-grip. His anger seething, he yanked Naruto towards the door with him, apparently leading him to a space where he would have a "talk" about the events passed. He was so mad he even jerked the door off its track when he had pushed it aside.

"It's not as bad as it seems," Naruto started to say in his defense but Neji just let out a scoff and laugh. Behind him, he heard Hinata's father say, "Don't kill him, Neji."

Oooooooh boy. Don't kill him, he'd said. Don't kill him.

Of _course_ Neji wasn't going to kill him.

He was just gonna totally skin him alive first.

_-xXx-_

 **EPISODE 2: Meet the Hyuuga**

"Regard your soldiers as your children,

and they will follow you into the deepest valleys;

look upon them as your own beloved sons,

and they will stand by you even unto death."

―Sun Tzu

 _The Art of War_ , Ch. X, 25

_-xXx-_

 _Wiping the sleep from her eyes, Hinata sat up, only to feel a shock of coolness embrace her bare skin. Caught off guard for a moment, she quickly pulled the sheet up to cover herself. Last night she had...Her cheeks burned a fiery crimson, clinging tighter to her covering._

" _N-Naruto?"_

 _Nothing, just the rising sun, casting its light through the beams around the long-forgotten temple, golden and red in hue. A soft conversation was swimming in that light along with the smell of morning. Basking there for a moment, Hinata felt relieved, knowing that Naruto was still there with her._

 _Her idol, and a new-found partner._

 _She wasn't alone. Not anymore._

 _Tying her cover, she stood, and followed the sound of his soft voice. Who was he talking to? Kurama?_

 _During their first true night together, after Naruto had spirited her away, and opened up to her, accepting her feelings and returning them, and claiming her as his own, she had felt a connection, a door, open up to her, and she knew then the fox spirit inside him as well. The fox acknowledged her, as she now did him. It..._ He _had even spoken._

 _A warning._

 _He would not be the first either._

" _Naruto? Wh—"_

 _He was in the back outside, leaning against the temple's wall. Approaching him, her words stopped short as a figure in front of her lover came into view. She immediately stepped back, blushing, fingers tightening harder on her sheet._

 _Naruto having sensed and heard her behind him, turned to her and smiled. "You're up...Sorry if we woke you."_

" _I, uh..."_

Who is that man? I need to leave. _And she would have, had Naruto's hand not been placed firmly on her shoulder, glueing her to her spot._

" _I want you to meet someone."_

 _A cool breeze blew through them and he delicately placed his jacket around her shoulders, the warm smile still on his face, along with a bit of a blush. She accepted it gratefully, nodding her thanks until her eyes traveled back to the guest, embarrassed still._

 _She swallowed nervously as Naruto shot her a reassuring glance. And then she knew why. On closer inspection, she saw the bandages covering the stranger's eyes, almost like a blindfold. The dark-haired stranger stood, his fingers wrapped around the surrounding railing. "So this is the heiress," he spoke, face turned toward the spot she had previously been._

 _This man was blind she realized._

 _As if hearing the inquisitive thoughts whirling around her head, Naruto answered them._

" _This is Shisui." He then added "Uchiha" which only confused her more._

" _Uchiha?"_

" _A long-time friend of Sasuke's...immediate family. His skills with the Sharingan were unparalleled, which is why he's been living here in hiding from Danzo ever since the massacre. No, since before then. I found him a short time ago here. This temple is his home now."_

" _Oh." She glanced to him again. He was smiling warmly, but he also had a weary look to him, making his age indecipherable. A fugitive...How much he must have gone through, to live on the run, on top of his condition._

" _Shisui, this is Hinata," Naruto continued. "That, er, girl I told you about." For once he was just as bashful as she always seemed to be. It was a bit of a relief._

" _You mean the_ woman _you've decided to_ elope _with...Although, I'm not sure you get the concept of it," Shisui taunted, earning an embarrassed shout from Naruto which only caused the Uchiha to chuckle._

 _It was his laugh that caused Hinata to quickly realise that this man was nothing like the Uchiha she knew. The Uchiha she knew were powerful and oftentimes cold in their pride for their clan. But not him, he was more like Naruto than Sasuke in his demeanor and attitude. She didn't feel uneasy around him like she did Sasuke. Then again, he hadn't tried to kill Naruto like Sasuke had either._

 _Truly, he was a citizen of Konoha. (Before Danzo took over anyway.)_

 _Shisui nodded and stepped forward, giving a bow to Hinata. "Regardless my teasing, I am honored to be in the presence of the Hyuuga Clan's heiress."_

" _Thank you, and it is good to know there are more survivors from the massacre."_

 _Though, living as a blind fugitive struck her as anything but good, but she didn't want to make the man feel uncomfortable by speaking of it._

 _Shisui nodded. "Yes, and I know the path ahead will not be easy if you are to be with Naruto...But after knowing what happened to the Hyuuga not too many years ago, the Lightning Incident, I believe it's the right thing. Never allow for your clan to end up in the same position mine had."_

 _Hinata nodded. "Thank you...Shisui."_

" _Well," Naruto said suddenly, giving a mild nudge to Hinata. "Now that you two's acquainted, missy here needs to get dressed so we can head to the Rain."_

 _Hinata started back, pushing from his hand. "What?!"_

" _I still have business to take care of outside the village, and you'd be safer back at home, understand? But I can't risk Danzo knowing anything new so Nagato's going to have to safeguard your mind like he has mine."_

 _Hinata shook her head violently. "Nagato as in_ Pain _? He started all of this! He hurt you! I can't—"_

 _He grabbed her face gently, trying to soothe her. "It's alright Hinata. He's nothing like the masked man. There's no reason to feel afraid or offended."_

" _But he still is the cause of this mess and he was going to kill you!"_

" _Things have changed. Besides, one, if he wanted to kill me he would have blown my brains out already, and two, this all would have happened regardless. One way or another. The world needs to be put into balance. The shinobi, the Bijuu...It has to happen and I can't fight this fight with you in danger any more than you already are. Okay?"_

 _It was this and a few other arguments that led Hinata to the Hidden Rain with him and Shisui._

 _The Rain was a completely different world from the one she knew, where towers rose from the ground in cold steel colors, and the rain fell nearly constantly. But what was more astounding in a horrifying way was the damage it had taken. Like Konoha, it had been nearly destroyed but also like her beloved home, it was in the process of being repaired._

 _Naruto pointed to the tallest tower where people were busy working on it. On the tip of a huge statue, stood a figure, waiting for them._

" _Welcome to the Rain."_

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

He was pushed into a spacey room that must have been used for training. Scuffles marred it, and an occasional piece of equipment littered it. When Neji locked the door behind them, Naruto again saw the need to speak.

Neji wished to make his point first though. And quite painfully as Naruto was thrown into the opposite wall with a powerful swipe to his chest. And Neji hadn't held back. The chakra whizzing at his fingertips was practically visible. Even as he stood back calmly, waiting for Naruto to get back up.

Groaning, Naruto did so, with great effort as he tried to ignore the potentially dangerous throbbing. Luckily he healed fast.

"Neji," he uttered sharply. "I don't want to fight you, just fought the Sharingan and don't need to add the Byakugan to the list the same day. Okay? Let's talk about this."

" _Talk_ about it," Neji scoffed. "You wish to _talk_?"

Naruto was once again struck, but this time Neji shoved him to the wall, holding him there. "It's much too late to talk! You already went past that with the first actions."

"I know I did!" he screamed, dodging Neji's next intended strike. "And maybe I shouldn't have gone so far so fast but—" Neji narrowed his eyes. "I don't regret it!"

Wrong thing to say.

Neji whipped his other hand, striking his palm into Naruto's thigh where he couldn't block it. He again was sent to the floor, gritting his teeth. A simple strike wouldn't have been bad. A Hyuuga's though? He couldn't decide what was worse. Sakura's chakra-filled punches, or the extremely controlled hits the Hyuuga pulled with their Byakugan activated. Whereas Sakura could be very painful, they were crippling, and he struggled to move his leg.

 _Kurama, take care of it._

 _ **Already on it, but you must fight back.**_

 _No! Not this time._

When he regained full movement in his leg, he got back to his feet and put himself in a stance. Not an offensive one as one would expect out of him. But in defense. "I'm not gonna fight you Neji! She wouldn't want us to and I know there's things I have to say that deep down you agree with."

And he honestly didn't feel like fighting Neji. Not anymore.

Unfortunately, Neji didn't share the same desire.

"How one feels doesn't amount to anything in this type of situation. This isn't just about what you did with Hinata, it's about what you've done with our clan! Do you have any idea the trouble this will cause for all of us, especially her?!"

He swatted Neji's next strike away. "I know!" he exclaimed, leaping back to avoid another. "And I hate that something so simple is causing an avalanche and it shouldn't be that way! But I'm not backing down, and neither is Hinata."

"Who are you to say what she will or won't—"

"I'm her spouse! Her family!"

"You are not! Whatever sham you put her through is no where substantial to even consider such an idea. What you are, is trouble. I always knew you were, but this is a whole new level you've gone. Dreams of being Hokage is one thing. Directly interfering with this clan's destiny is another."

At the words "sham" and "destiny", anger exploded in his system. He wouldn't hit Neji for it. But he _would_ make sure he got it through that thick skull of his.

"You mean fate!" he snarled. Pushing himself forward, he slammed into Neji, knocking him back-first into the ground and under him. He raised his hand as if to strike, Neji turned his face to lessen the impact, but no punch came, instead, Naruto swung his hand and ripped Neji's headband off. It flew through the air, exposing the permanent seal scarred on Neji's forehead. As it did, the Hyuuga's eyes widened.

"We already had this talk!" Naruto hissed. Neji twisted in attempt to topple Naruto, but Naruto held to him tight, letting Kurama's chakra strengthen his hold.

Neji stuttered in surprise. "The Kyuubi's—"

He ignored him.

"Do you want her one of her future kids or anyone in this family to have to be branded like a freakin' animal?" Naruto exclaimed furiously, pointing at the mark. "To be literally labeled as less important, and to suffer for it!?" He was shaking in his anger, and then something odd happened. A tear ran down his cheek. "To feel like they have to _cover_ it up? Huh? You want more to live like you have to? Huh, Neji?"

His grip hardened, nearly his entire body shaking now. Neji could only remain lying there, speechless.

"Do you want it to continue? I will never forget what you told me about that day we fought. About your dad...And _how_ can you support it? Does that stupid branded seal force you to, huh? Can you really not fight it? Or is it that it makes you too afraid to? Too afraid that if you do you'll die for it like a freaking slave, no worse. A misbehaving dog that needs put down. Tell me Neji!" He shook him.

"It doesn't even have to be me. It could have been anyone she had fallen for outside the clan. But yet those stupid traditions would have caused her and her kid's such _pain_...Or even anyone else in this family. As future Hokage I refuse to allow your clan, your _family,_ to do that to their own people. Heck, I don't even see how such a thing even began. And to top it, people should have the right to love outside the clan's walls!"

His point said, he let Neji go and maneuvered to the side, wiping his eyes. "No one else is getting marked under my watch. _No one_." Clearing them, he looked to Neji again. "And I swear, on my life, she will have a chance at a free life. I want to make her happy. I want her to feel love the same way she made me feel the night she confessed. I've given her my heart once. I'll do it again if I have to. You won't regret breaking free of it, I swear."

Then he laughed. "And even if you and your father don't give me your blessings, that's not gonna stop me. You know that."

Neji shook his head, a slight smile on his lips.

"But...I don't want it to be that way. I want family-in-laws...So please, let me talk to the father."

Neji let out a very long sigh and made to his feet.

Naruto handed him back his band apologetically. "Neji you know I'm right...Just help me out here, okay?"

There was a soft ruffle as Neji slid it back on, covering the seal on his forehead. He turned his back to Naruto, then...

"She is in her room. You may speak with her and join us for a private brunch at noon."

Naruto gave an exhausted laugh. "Thank you, Neji, you have no idea what that means to us."

Neji smirked. "Don't get too cocky. You're still in trouble with the village. And, if you ever hurt her again..."

No words were needed, his was imply crystal clear. Naruto nodded and performed a transformation before slipping out to find Hinata.

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

As had been the usual of late, Naruto was once again rendered overly conscious of himself as he was surrounded by splendors. Many elegant and richly filled plates had been prepared for the meal, and in front of him, sat the current head of the Hyuuga clan. There was something regal about him. And Naruto couldn't explain it but he felt more terrified sitting in front of him than in front of any of his enemies. He seemed to be able to be more casual around them. With Hiashi, it was a constant on-edge feeling.

From under the table, pale fingers grasped his own and he mentally smiled, grateful for them.

"Father," she said.

Hinata was beautiful. She wore a kimono, and even though her hair wasn't done up, it flattered her. He of course, had shyly managed to comment this to her in private beforehand.

Man, he must strike the Hyuuga's as a pauper in comparison. Especially since his heritage wasn't common knowledge. While he and a select few knew he was the Fourth Hokage's son, to the majority of the village he was just a troublesome orphan with no background. It didn't help he had been a brat in the past as well, causing trouble for attention.

He glanced to the side. There was a younger girl he presumed to be Hinata's little sister that kept giving him and Hinata playful smiles. She seemed to be pretty outspoken in her demeanor in contrast to her father and sister.

As the meal began, he finally gathered the nerve to address their father directly.

"I promised my hand to her," he began, trying his best to speak in a proper manner. "I apologize for not asking your permission first."

He ignored the younger girl's giggle.

The man set his chopsticks down and folded his hands together, his posture straight but voice weary. "You would have been denied. You still are, do you understand, child?"

Hinata's fingers tightened against him. It wasn't her uneasiness, it was because his hands were shaking so much. She gave him a gentle nudge.

 _Go on_ , she seemed to be saying.

How odd it was her encouraging him this time.

"I have a lot of respect for your clan, sir, but as someone who will become future Hokage, I can't condone some of your...traditions."

Hiashi glanced down.

"Pardon me for bringing this up, but after what happened to your brother, I would think you would have realized the need for adjustments."

Naruto hated bringing up the incident again. It must have been horrific enough the first time.

How his own brother, born a few moments later and so branded as a Branch member, had later been killed for his sake. How only in death he had found freedom...But left his brother and young son in the process, scarring all of them.

Hiashi closed his eyes, perhaps recalling it, and Naruto felt sadness radiate from him. This man of course knew the consequences of his clan first hand. He wasn't like the stubborn elders, or so Naruto hoped.

"And I'm not doing this as some political agenda to get a Hyuuga as a Hokage's wife. I'm doing this for both her and my own desires. It just so happens the act is breaking the Hyuuga's traditions in the process."

"That it is. She will face disgrace among the elders for being with the likes of an outsider."

"They're not the head though."

The man smiled grimly. "You are so ignorant of politics."

He smiled in return. "I admit, I very much am." He then became serious. "But since when did doing what's right mean making hard headed geezers happy?"

Hiashi shook his head. "A Hyuuga can not join with someone outside the clan. You will have to let it go."

"Listen to me, sir. Do you want her future children or your youngest to go through what you and your brother have? On my life, I'll fight it away. I will never allow a child to be branded with that seal again. And it doesn't even have to be mine. I'll still fight even if we aren't together, so I'm not going away. But...she did choose me. Not sure how it happened, but it did."

Hiashi shook his head once again. "You do not realize how many nights I have reflected the state of our clan. Of her future as the heiress..." He glanced to his youngest daughter, then the eldest. "How she was never happy here until a short time ago, when she was with you. I admit I've been a bad father in the past, but no more. I came to realize she seemed to come back with strength each time she left the estate devastated. And it was from you. I see the power you have over hearts. And I do want it for this clan..."

"So why not just let me?"

"It is not that simple. After what you've done in the past, bringing our small unit together again, saving her life from the Akatsuki...I see great hope in you for the future. But, you currently have a rogue status and as the Hyuuga's head, I can't ignore it."

"But—"

"Hinata has already explained your predicament, but I can't allow someone with such a status even near the estate. Next time you step foot here, I'll have to alert the authorities."

"Then I'll clear myself. And restore the village."

"And after you have? You just steal her away again?"

"No. I'll change things here. And I'll go through an official wedding if you want," he mumbled. "I'll do it right this time. Her father should be there."

The man chuckled. "That he should. It's unfortunate yours is no longer around...Namikaze." He smiled grimly. "Your father was a good Hokage. You will make an even better one. And have my support. Then, just maybe, our clan can finally make the progress it needs to and she and those in the future can be happy."

Naruto felt relief wash through him, when he suddenly noticed the absence of Hinata's hand. Panicking for a moment, he glanced over.

She sat with her hands cupped over her mouth. Eyes closed tightly, she let out a quick whimper.

"You okay?"

She shook her head, face a ghastly pale shade. "Excuse me."

With that she rushed out, her guardian, Ko, quickly following suit.

Naruto had been so wrapped up in his conversation with Hiashi he hadn't noticed when she'd let go of his hand. He glanced at her plate, wondering if the fish on it hadn't sat well with her.

The young sibling, Hanabi, pursed her lips. "It's been awhile since she last did that, huh, father?"

The man shook his head solemnly. "I don't think it's that."

They were no doubt talking about Hinata's past tendency to faint or show other similar signs in her shyness. But her father was right. This wasn't that.

"I'm," he said, standing and giving an awkward bow, "gonna check up on her. 'Scuse me."

He was so worried about Hinata he didn't berate himself on dropping back into his slurs.

When he found her through the Hyuuga Maze they dubbed a house, she was hunched over a toilet. Ko was holding her hair for her and rubbing her back simultaneously.

Was she—

A splatter sound and quiet moan answered that.

"Hey, you okay?" he asked, averting his eyes. He let the quick transformation he had pulled to avoid the other residents' attention drop.

"Yeah," she answered after moment, coughing. Ko handed her a towel and after cleaning herself, she approached Naruto, wanting to hug him but knowing better than to while like this.

Naruto didn't care, he drew her into a hug anyway. Looking over her shoulder, he asked if Ko could leave them. The guardian gave a bow then took his leave.

"I'm sorry you had to see that," she whispered, abashed.

"It's okay. I understand. You sick?"

"No," she whispered tentatively. "Naruto, I'm..."

He pulled away from her, and peered at her curiously, voice soft. "What?"

Tears welled up in her eyes. "I think I'm..."

"It's okay. You can tell me."

 _That night they had spent together, the fox had acknowledged her, as she now did him. He had even spoken._

 _A warning._

 _He would not be the first either..._

 _It began in the Rain._

 _She was taken aside by a woman. The woman with an origami flower in her hair, and a piercing under her pale lips. She had also spoken a warning..._

But then Hinata remembered Naruto's desire to have his own family...And pain welled up in her chest.

"I just caught the flu," she answered, crying. "I'm sick."

"Hey, it's okay." He wrapped his arms around her, embracing her tightly this time. "Just have Sakura give you some of her super medicine and you'll be over it quick." His smile was broad and it only wanted to make her cry more. If he had her eyes, he would see the essence insider her that was not her own.

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

It was a few hours after he left, as he couldn't remain for long without people taking notice of him, that Neji had approached her about her sudden departure from brunch. It didn't help that Ko must have spoken to him as well. Ko was a good man, who cared greatly for her well-being. So even if she'd told him to not mention it, he had went out of his way to get a busy Neji's attention and pull him from his current duties.

Thus Neji sat next to her on the porch.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes. I just...got too excited, that's all. Nervous, you know."

"The Byakugan tells me otherwise."

Part of that was said sternly.

 _He knows. Goodness, he_ knows _._

"He's lucky I hadn't seen it before or I would have really killed him...Does the idiot even know?"

"No."

He hummed sympathetically. "Perhaps it's for the best. Things are too chaotic right now. Not to mention neither of you are ready to settle down."

"Will you stay with me," she whispered, "even if all the clan shuns me?"

"Of course. And I'll always protect you. Me and Ko, and your father. You're not alone here, understand?"

She nodded, and placed her hand over her lower stomach.

"Would you be his godfather too?"

To her bafflement, her cousin nodded.

"Naruto once protected you with his life," he said. "And I will do the same for his child."

She closed her eyes and exhaled. "Thank you."

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

There was a very small trigger of chakra that only a Sharingan would have caught. It lasted only for a second. It had to, because Kakashi wasn't the only one who had a Sharingan. But unlike the other party, he had expected such a foolish move to come so soon and known to watch for it.

He found a small child walking along a busy street in one of the shopping districts. He was wearing neutral colored clothes to blend in, save for a pair of bright red glasses. This is what caught the ex-Anbu's attention, as it was no doubt meant to.

"What say we go get you replacement glasses," he said, grabbing the child by the arm. "There's a crack in yours."

"Ah, thanks _mister,_ " he giggled. Enjoying playing the part of a child a little _too_ much.

When they'd reached one of the stores, Kakashi led him into its backroom. Stock people would have finished by now so there was no reason for any disturbances.

Safe, Naruto finally took off the glasses and was about to perform a release but Kakashi shook his head sternly. "Don't."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "It's safe."

He tended to not like transformations, and the way he stood impatiently highlighted this. But, once one left a transformation, it became a lot easier to unconsciously let your cloaked chakra slip back into its natural flow. Naruto couldn't afford to make such a mistake.

"How long have you been here?"

"Well, I kinda had brunch...But no one outside of the people directly around Hinata saw me, and I know for a fact that Danzo doesn't have any spies implanted there. They're already too innocent and wrapped around his fingers to suspect anything from."

"Still, out of the estate, even in it, it won't be long until one of his sensors catch on to you."

"I know. But I'll be gone before then."

"Why are you still here then? It's too dangerous. And if Yamato sees you, he'll arrest you. I _should_ , but..."

Naruto smiled and gave a little bounce in his brunnette child form. "Thanks, sensei." He then turned serious. "I just had to check up on you as well, and let you know about my messenger bird. It's a crow, he'll be here in about three days time. Meet him in the spot, you know the one, and send him back. Keep me informed on anything Danzo does, and who's still with me. I know Hinata promised she would help rally our class when it came to it. Keep them free from Danzo's lies."

Kakashi nodded. "I will. Although..." He glanced to Naruto, eyes narrowing slightly. "Something you said at the Summit concerns me."

Naruto shifted.

The masked man's true identity had been dropped. Uchiha... _Obito_. By now the rumor of it would have spread like a wildfire. Besides the fact the Kyuubi's host started a war, it would be the next hottest topic.

"I'm so sorry for your loss" was all he could say about it as Kakashi waited on him to explain.

When he didn't, Kakashi shook his head in denial. "You're wrong, Naruto. Obito died saving me. You never knew him."

Naruto could only lean back into one of the tower of boxes and let its shadow envelope his face. "I wish I was. The day I learned it, some part of me died with that fallacy. I keep wanting to believe he did die as the hero who inspired me...But no. I'm sorry but he's lied to you this entire time. He's no hero."

Now Kakashi was angry and his one visible eyebrow arched down. "Not Obito, Naruto, you don't understand, I was there, that boulder—"

"Crushed like half of him. I know because I saw his scars. But he survived."

"If he survived then why didn't he come back? Why would he be a part of the Akatsuki and have held you prisoner? It doesn't make sense. Naruto...I saw the medical reports Sakura filed on you when you came home. The Obito I knew...he would never do those things to our Sensei's own son."

His eyes closed, and he breathed into the air. So now Kakashi knew of it. His voice came out softly.

"It's because the real Madara _broke_ him."

"..."

"And he tried to pull that same crap on me to prove a point, and he almost succeeded, but I recovered. But he never has. Even so, there's still one part of him that hasn't let go of the past, but his views are warped, and his mission to protect that past is corroded."

"Rin."

"Yeah. Rin," Naruto said, raising a brow. How did Kakashi know? True they had been apart of the same team but he had pinpointed it perfectly... "Apparently something happened to her, and he wants to bring her back through—"

"His Infinite Tsukuyomi." Now it made sense. Kakashi stared to the floor the weight on his shoulders suddenly heavier, in a way his student could never know.

Every major trial Naruto ever had, was, or is going through...

The masked man's attack on Konoha, his mother's death, his father's sacrifice, the Kyuubi...His capture...

"Naruto," he said. "I owe you an apology... Never end up where I am. Protect your people no matter what."

The boy nodded, eyes filled with determination.

* * *

 **END OF EPISODE 2: MEET THE HYUUGA**

* * *

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

 **Please review and tell me your thoughts. It helps.**

And before you bash Hinata on A, not telling Naruto she's pregnant, and B, asking a character who died in the manga to be the baby's godfather and to have him say he'll protect him with his life...Know this, A Death in the Family takes place outside Konoha's walls. So it may or may not be him, but whether it is or not, that statement still stands there as I felt it would be proper to have Neji state he'd protect the child no matter what. As for Hinata forsaking her own desire to tell Naruto...I will continue her and Konan's talk eventually. So stay tuned :P...

:)

And yes this chapter feels really short, but I really didn't want to drag it out, and I wanted to just get to the point and not dilly dally as the next episode will no doubt take a few updates.

But if there's something I should have added but hadn't in my "rush", please tell me and I'll try to fix it.

_-xXx-_

 **TO START A WAR TABLE OF CONTENTS /Up Next:**

EPISODE _0\. PROLOGUE: NARUTO'S RETURN_

 _A year after his declaration and all the trials that would follow, a more mature and battle-scarred Naruto dares to return home to hide Hinata and their child away, only for everything to fall apart and into the final enemy's hands. It's his family, or the future._

 _How the heck did he get here?_

PART I: ART OF WAR

 _EPISODE 1. Taka's New Wings_ _(2 Parts)_

 _Naruto has just declared war. And subsequently drags his new team along for the ride. Firstly, upon meeting in the Rain, they find out Shisui's recovery it going to take much longer than expected in its complexity, then a mourning man tries to kill Naruto, and later, upon confronting him about everything, Sasuke is not happy. But what else is new? What? Naruto suddenly disappeared? AGAIN!?_

 _Welcome to the Elemental Nations, Year One_

 _EPISODE_ _2\. Meet the Hyuuga_

 _Before tying up some loose ends with Kakashi, Naruto confronted the biggest one: his sudden marriage with Hinata. It's a bit too late to ask for Daddy's permission and Neji wasn't happy either. Oh boy, what had he done? And to make matters worse, Hinata had to go and get sick. But, unbeknownst to him, it's more than a bug. A lot more._

 _Even with everything seems settled to go on to his campaign, can it truly be when a child has been conceived?_

 _ **EPISODE 3. Welcome to the Sound**_

 **Mission time! Their first one, too! On a quest to purge the Sound, the team will run into some big problems. Firstly, the daimyo is missing and they don't even know if he's alive. Secondly, they certainly aren't in Konoha anymore. It's hell on earth and they're caught in the middle of it. But they's got it handled, right?**

 **What could** _ **possibly**_ **go wrong? XD**

(and yes I just wrote that. And you know what that jinxing means :D Mwa ha ha!)

 _EPISODE 4. A+B=D. (Darn Drama!)_

 _EPISODE 5. The Ruins of Uzushiogakure_

PART II: SONG TO THE SIREN

 _EPISODE 6. What Becomes of Snow_

 _EPISODE 7. We Who Wander This Wasteland_

 _EPISODE 8. I Started a Joke_

 _EPISODE 9. A Death in the Family_

 _EPISODE 10. APOCALYPSE_

PART III: TO THE FUTURE

 _EPILOGUE: Hero (Tianxia)_

 _ **Episodes listed above will occasionally take more than one chapter to unfold and may lead into story arcs.**_

BONUS

 **(1*)** _ **HIDDEN EPISODE**_ _**1\. Shisui's Story**_

 _An episode that will most likely be posted eventually. Either way, Shisui's survival and life will be delved into as he talks with Sasuke. Whether or not his words take root in the young Uchiha is another matter and story altogether. One that will be resolved by this story's end._

 _It all began with the Uchiha, and so ends._

 _ **BONUS EPISODE. XXXXX-XXXXXX**_

 _There's a certain someone who has been left with a huge gap in their heart ever since the attack on Konoha. But, is hope truly all gone? A single bowl of ramen may change everything._

 _A short and sweet chapter._

(Actually started back in early February and is done, just in need of one last edit so expect soon)

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_


	5. Memorial

_This is a scene I've been wanting to write and add for a looooooooooong time, especially since_ The Fate of a Kage _. There's just something about it..._

 _I've added it here by itself because the time in which it takes place feels a bit sketchy, and the fact it's one of those scenes that should stand by itself, free from the shadow of the others. Also...I had totally meant to post this Memorial morning...It slipped my mind as I had busy day, and for doing that, I apologize that it's a number of hours late._

 _It will also be the only episode within_ Art of War _without a Sun Tzu quote._

* * *

 **TO START A WAR**

 **BOOK I of III: ART OF WAR**

* * *

_-xXx-_

 **BONUS EPISODE- _Thank You_**

"One day you will be the one called Master. You'll be the one to treat others to ramen."

Nara Shikamaru

 _Naruto_ Chapter 406, pages 16-17

_-xXx-_

He sat the restaurant bar, staring at the menu. Feeling pathetically indecisive. Or rather, he didn't even know why he had bothered coming here in the first place.

Outside, the village was aglow with a yellow twilight, giving off a warm homey feeling. To further the peaceful atmosphere, there sat the humble Ichiraku in the fading light, fabric above the entry blowing ever so gently in the breeze. Seeing it, some part of Iruka had not been able to resists its siren call, especially after a long day of grading papers.

But now as he sat there, the flow of people continually coming and going, oblivious to his still presence all the while, he still could not bring himself to actually order anything.

"Just give me a few moments," he told the owner, a now weary Ichiraku Teuchi.

"Iruka..." If there was anyone who knew what was conflicting him so much, it would be that beloved cook. But Iruka shook his head. Sighing, Ichiraku maneuvered back to the kitchen with another order.

It was then a new visitor came in, a man who plopped himself down right beside Iruka. He nosily flipped a newspaper open and began going through it, each turn of a page seeming a thousand times louder than it should have.

 _Crinkle, crinkle._

Iruka stared back down at his menu. _Shoyu, Shio, Miso, Tonkotsu_ , and even an experimental ramen burger. He lowered the menu in disinterest. It wasn't that the food was bad, just the opposite, there was nothing better than Ichiraku's home-brood noodle dishes. It's just...

Every word on that menu rang with echoes from the past. No they screamed it, hollering like a child, and the seats beside him filled with the young ghost, bouncing up in excitement, as he slurped at his noodles loudly. And his smile...That haunting, precious smile. A smile brighter than the sun itself. Kami, he would do anything to see it again. To have it fill up the crumbling village with that light that made you want to smile as well. To do anything, to believe in anything.

But no, that smile was gone, along with many precious treasures of the past. It was a dawn of a new age, an age that seemed bleak without the light.

The image slowly faded as Iruku brought his gaze back up, fingers rubbing his temple.

Beside him the man with the newspaper hadn't ordered either, and still had the paper held up so it covered his frame. He seemed engulfed by it. Iruka couldn't help read the date in the corner of the worn paper. _OCTOBER 30th._

So many days after _his_ birthday and still no news. This time last year, Iruka would still be trying repair his bank account after treating his young pupil to all the ramen _he_ wanted as a birthday present. It became an annual thing between them...until this year, that is.

Reflecting on this, his already non-existent appetite soured further. He didn't know why he came here today. It wasn't like _he_ was just going to magically reappear out of thin air...

 _This place makes me remember too much._

He placed his palms the table, readying to stand, when his neighbor started talking. "Man," he said, apparently addressing Iruka. "Things have really gone to hell here, since that Pain attacked."

Iruka guessed the man was young by his vocabulary and was surprised when he pulled the paper down to reveal a grey-haired man. Perhaps in his sixties.

Not wanting to be rude, he nodded. "I guess you can say that...You, uh, a tourist?"

He couldn't imagine why one would come here.

The old man smiled. "Sometin' like that, young man. But I've been here before, and can't help comparing the thens and the nows. I guess you could call me a bit of a ghost."

Iruka nodded and secured his messenger bag to his shoulders. "Everyone feels that way."

They were the only people left in the stand now, so Teuchi approached the two again, more specifically, Iruka, waiting on him to say the usual. He hadn't eaten there since...

"I'm...not hungry. I'm sorry." With a solemn bow he readied to leave. But it seemed today, the old cook was persistent.

"I know it's been over a month, Iruka...But something tells me the kid's alright."

Iruka froze, a shadow hanging over his eyes. Outside, a cold wind blew, carrying tattered paper and other forms of litter with it.

"I apologize, Ichiraku...Not today."

"Alright, Iruka, but I got a new original dish I want you to try, soon. When you can, of course. It's a...mixture of some of his favorite ingredients."

"Sure."

As much as he loathed to hurt Ichiraku's feelings, he wasn't planning on coming back. Ever.

A wrinkled hand grasped his arm. "You're leaving, lad?"

"I am."

"Without even eating?"

"Yes," he said, dismissively brushing the hand off.

"It'd be a shame though, to come all the way here without a bite..." He paused, then surprisingly upbeat, exclaimed, "In fact, let me treat you!"

Before Iruka could protest, the old man had pulled him back to the bar, and was calling for the head cook and owner, slapping the menu down. "Hey, Ichiraku! I'd like two of that new dish, filled to the brim!"

That special was worth a good part of his salary for this week (with the academy still in recovery mode). "Oh, sir, I can't—!"

"Hush, young man. I insist. In fact I'll get offended if you don't let me do my good deed of the day!"

"But sir!"

"You youngin's have no respect for your elders, do ya?! _Why, in my day._.."

Iruka grimaced. This man was making a scene. The people walking outside were stopping and staring, eager to know what the loud excitement was about. He'd never met someone one who so blatantly fit old people stereotypes. Not wanting to further his mortification, he obediently sat back down, mumbling, "Thank you..."

Ichiraku hummed in agreement as he watched Iruka drop his bag. "It's been a long time since I got to serve my second favorite customer, if you don't mind me saying."

Iruka blushed. He actually hadn't eaten any bowl, carton, or package of ramen since...

The epitome of old people stirred his drink as they waited for their food. Quietly, he began, "You wanna talk about it?"

Iruka shrugged, his despair apparently transparent. "Honestly not...sir."

Buried under a bushel of wild grey eyebrows, the man's eyes shone a bright blue. Perhaps this was why he did what he did next. It just...bubbled over.

"It's just...I had a student. He was...taken when Pain attacked. This was the same man who killed his sensei...It started with Master Jiraiya. I'm sure you've heard that name. He's one of the Three Sages and he taught my student, and when he was killed on a mission, it tore my student apart. This was a man who took him on long pilgrimages and taught him his favorite jutsu." He closed his eyes. "He loved him like a father and when he was killed, I almost didn't think he would recover. He didn't eat, didn't talk to anyone..."

"..."

"But he pulled through, and I was so proud. But then Pain attacked our home and now he's gone, and I don't even know if he's still alive...Or if he'll recover from losing another sensei. Pain killed his team head, Kakashi of the Sharingan as well. Then the Fifth Hokage passed, also one of the Three Sages and a person he cared about deeply. Sir, he never had many people in his life until much later and now when he does, he's taken such hard blows. It just bothers me to no end that he's going through all this."

 _And I'm still here...When they aren't. They were far better shinobi than I could ever hope to be._

"Ah, the life of a shinobi is often befuddled by such circumstances."

 _You couldn't even imagine..._

"I wasn't always there for him, you know. I was one of the superstitious lot that saw my parents die from the Kyuubi attack. And for the great fox to suddenly disappear and a baby to come from nowhere, strange animal-like markings on his face...It would be twelve years before I even acknowledged him right. I don't even know how I called myself a teacher back then."

Iruka squeezed his glass, eyes tight.

"It'd be easy to make that assumption," the man said softly. Almost comfortingly. "Still doesn't mean it's right. But, that's not the end, now is it?"

He had said the last bit with just as soft a smile that Iruka couldn't help stare at him curiously.

Ichiraku then approached the two men, two hot bowls of ramen in his hands. "Here you guys go."

Steam rose up to greet Iruka's face, and the scent of it was delicious. He put his chopsticks in, but only stirred the broth, staring down at the colorful ingredients. One of which was bright white and disc-shaped, a pink swirl going around it like a small gust of wind...

"Hey, man, if this kid is the one you care about so much, he must be alright."

He glanced to the old man. "Huh?"

"If he was trained under the great Jiraiya, he must be some guy. I bet he's out, right now, fighting the fight."

Iruka chuckled darkly.

The man slurped at his noodles. "Is that so hard to believe?"

"There's so many rumors about him I don't know what to believe anymore. Some say he's dead already, and the Akatsuki's just charging their weapon, others claim he's a rogue, and get this, some say he _joined_ the Akatsuki, but either way, he's still not back home."

The man set his chopsticks down. "Maybe he has his reasons. I mean you said the Fifth Hokage died...Would he approve of the new guy?"

Iruka scoffed, before giving a grim smile.

He didn't know much about Danzo, but he didn't seem like a Hokage the kid would have approved of at all.

"He must have his reasons." The man chuckled. "And in any case, you must eat now! This is good and I paid a lot of money for it!"

The old man was strangely hyper.

Taking a deep breath, Iruka finally lifted his chopsticks, noodles hanging on them...and took a bite.

The taste was outstanding. Such perfect blend of tangy broth, followed by superbly rich ingredients mixed to perfection that melted in his mouth. It was a soup that Iruka had no doubt that the old cook had spent many many hours creating to get just right and it showed. A perfect combination of _his_ favorite ramen touches. And to the side, that one ingredient...

"And...?" the old man urged.

"This is perfect." Bowing his head, he said its name. His student's name that was so hard to even just think because of the memories that came with it. Memories and the reminder of so many unspeakable worries he had. " _Naruto_. Naruto would have loved this." Warmness came to his eyes. "I wish he could taste what Teuchi has made for him."

"Ah, I'm sure he would. No, will. You bet he'll be back. Can't stop believin'."

Iruka had a feeling Naruto would love this geezer as well. They talked similarly. Ironically shared some of the same mannerisms as well.

He finished the rest of his bowl in appreciative silence, and when he set his last bit of Ryo down to pay the tip, the old man shook his head. "No, let me."

"But—"

"I insist that you let me fully treat you."

' _Or I'll make a scene_ ,' Iruka mentally added, shaking his head, some part of him wanting to laugh.

He pondered this for a moment. He wanted to laugh...It had been awhile since he had felt that way. How odd it was this old man bringing back such feelings.

With that said, the man fished a huge wad of Ryo from his pocket. Ichiraku's eyes looked like they had popped out of their sockets as the huge wad landed on the bill.

The strange old man grinned. "Keep the change, man. And consider it for this business's future. I'd like to see this place expanded before I come back, because frankly, of all the places I've traveled you still have the best ramen."

"T-thank you, kind sir!"

He turned to an equally shocked Iruka. "And, Iruka, let me say this before we depart, I'm sure if he was here, he'd have nothing but appreciation for you, sir. Those days of childhood count for nothing when you've helped so much since then. And I'm sure, if he could, he'd treat you himself to Ichiraku's most expensive dish for all the times you had done to him."

Iruka bit his lip. "I, uh..." _I never told him my name..._

"Thanks."

The man chuckled, and got up from his stool, readying to leave.

Iruka exited with him, but before he turned the opposite direction, towards new apartment, the man tapped his shoulder. "Here, don't forget this."

"But I didn't—"

His hands grasped over Iruka's, encircling them around an object of both fabric and metal. And a wisp of a whisper...

Before Iruka could inquire as to the purpose, the man was already way up the busy street, half hidden by the throngs of people.

But right before the old man would disappear for good, he turned and grinned. It wasn't just a grin. It was that tricky, childish one that could only belong to one person and one person alone, unmimickable.

A beam of sunlight broke through the clouds. And a tear slid down Iruka's face, as his grip tightened on the remnants of a very old headband that he once gave to an old student...

And the smiling figure's whisper echoed through him:

 _"Thank you...Iruka-sensei."_

* * *

"One day you will be the one called Master. You'll be the one to treat others to ramen. We can't stay kids forever. Not if we wanna be awesome like Asuma and Jiraiya."

Nara Shikamaru

 _Naruto_ Chapter 406, pages 16-17

* * *

 _Thank you to BriEva for giving original draft a read-through. And thank you for reaching bottom X)_

 _Also, happy late Memorial Weekend._


	6. Not Part of the Plan

**Apologies for the super long update...And the fact that this came out not only much later than intended but is...pretty short. Figuring out how to start this very particular arc was difficult for me. I have quite a bit of very specific plans and things I want to happen in the Sound, from its village to its people and how the Taka deals, as well as how to integrate my Blank Period into it all. But first...well something not part of the original plans needed to butt its face in. Thank you for any Follows, Favorites, and/or Reviews! I promise not to screw with you... _that_ much.**

* * *

 **PREVIOUSLY:**

 **A meeting with his sensei...**

 _"Naruto... Never end up where I am. Protect your people no matter what."_

 **And the plans for their first mission, soon to be set into motion.**

 _"Cloud, Mist, Sand, Stone...and then the Leaf...In this circle, I will go after the Kage and speak with them individually. But first, we'll go to the Sound and eradicate Kabuto and Obito's supplies and bring down any system or traffics still running from Orochimaru's lot."_

 **And so the mission begins. To bring Kabuto down and to protect what matters most.**

* * *

 **TO START A WAR**

 **BOOK I of III: ART OF WAR**

* * *

He sat in his throne-like seat, surrounded by fine things, decor made of silver and ivory, the fur of exotic beasts now resting far from their native lands. But even the seemingly bright and elegant setting could not be darker. In its purpose, in its setting. This place...It was darkness itself.

From behind the seat, a hooded figure came, the very embodiment of this darkness. White flashed from the shadow's eyes and the one seated bowed his head briefly in acknowledgment to his arrival. He waited for his instructions, and he got them quite immediately.

"I need ten times more bodies supplied to me."

He paused in his surprise before answering. "We are already supplying you with as much as we can retrieve and preserve with seals."

The shadow pulled his hood down, letting the man see his face. His snake-like eyes, how they were narrowed into slits. His lips, pressed thinly into a warning frown and from it a tongue followed, licking the lips like a reptile. A being who made one shudder. And he didn't come...alone. A snake wrapped around the seated man's leg threateningly. "You will have to do better...Oh, new _Daimyo_ , if you wish to keep your position."

 _Ssssssss._

Knuckles tightened against the marble seat. "I will get you more, then. But it will require more manpower and outreach."

"You have an entire village of people and resources. Utilize it. Oh, and before I forget, the supply of prisoners must be alive, as well."

A soft but frustrated groan followed. " _Alive?_ We have always just supplied corpses until now."

There was an angry hiss. "My jutsu calls for living hosts."

"I do apologize for my questions but I'm lost. Keeping so many living prisoners reigned in will be more trouble than it's worth."

Orochimaru's old friend chuckled darkly. "You do not question me, I thought this was quite clear." A cold finger traced across the man's neck and the apple of it bobbed in a nervous swallow. "And if you have a problem, I could take you for a sacrifice...But it's best we don't complicate the system we have. Do I make myself clear?"

 _Ssssssss._

"Yes...Kabuto."

With a snap of his fingers, a young slave came forward with a parchment. With a meek bow, the scroll was handed to Kabuto. Monthly supplies, right on the quota. Kabuto was always particular with the details. He checked it over before he nodded in approval. "Good man. I'll be back for the sacrifices next time, you'll know when."

And just as quickly as Kabuto had come, he left, fading into the dark shadows.

The man spat once he was sure that even the slightest hint of his presence was gone. "I hate that guy. Walks around like he owns the place. But he's no Orochimaru—just an old imp and half of one at that!"

The man scowled. With Orochimaru's death, he could have had the Sound all to himself. But no, they're forced to constantly supply this man who didn't even stay in their village. It was holding them back.

"He must be taken care of."

The man turned toward the person the voice had come from. He was entering in with his progress reports in hand.

"Noritaka," he acknowledged, regaining his composure. "And how would you recommend I take care of our little pest problem?"

The elder bowed his head. "It'll be a matter of gaining the upper hand."

And the cards...were coming.

.

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

.

"By now Obito knows that you've defected from him."

Hearing the sudden statement Nagato blinked, glancing up. Naruto's silhouette was highlighted by a quiet flash of lightning from the window of his tall tower.

"You're back."

"Yeah. A few minutes ago, had a talk with Akio then came here." Naruto walked forward, drawing closer to Nagato and his machinery. He crossed his arms, expression serious as he gave the clicking mass a worried glance. "He'll be coming here. Obito will."

"Hm." Nagato shifted, getting himself more comfortable, completely at ease which the blond apparently lacked regarding the masked man. "You'll be gone by then, isn't that so?"

Naruto shook his head. "It's not me I'm worried about. He may look for me here, but he'll also confront you."

Naruto had made it clear at the summit that he was with Nagato. Not to mention even before then Nagato had brought him to the Rain village without Obito's consent. That action alone had been rebellion to Obito's plans for them.

Nagato smiled grimly. "Do not underestimate the true Akatsuki, boy. He cannot do anything to me. Or Konan."

Naruto shook his head once again. "And _you_ don't underestimate what he'll do when push comes to shove. He's different from before." This he knew first-hand, all too well. "There's an even deeper darkness...In him, and even in our own village."

Rinnegan eyes stared at him, knowing he had just come back from Konoha. "Are you referring to Danzo? Did you speak with him as well?"

"Not this time. But before, yeah."

He raised a brow skeptically. "And how did that go?"

The teen just smiled.

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

Quickly storing the last of his supplies in a sealing scroll, Naruto raised his arms, stretching them and his back. With a satisfied yawn, he bent back down and stuffed the scrolls into his backpack and grabbed the potted aloe vera plant from the table, holding it with one arm as he used the other to hold his bag of food. Karin would have to be the one to seal his choice meals with the others she'd collected for the trip...If she would anyway. Why she detested instant ramen so much was beyond him.

Outside the room a very excited Suigetsu met him, giving a slap on the back. He had his own personal sack as well, a messenger bag hanging from his shoulder as his sword took up all his backside. "You're back! Ready to go?"

"Uh-huh." He shoved his food bag into Suigetsu's chest, forcing him to grab it. "And here! Take these to Karin!"

"Wha?" Suigetsu moaned, glancing at the bag's contents. "This is just instant ramen! Dude, when ya gonna learn you have an unhealthy obsession with this stuff?"

Naruto scoffed. "Okay, Miss. Yogurt."

"Hey! At least it's real fo—"

"No, it's not!"

Before Suigetsu could retort something back, Naruto was racing ahead, having noticed Konan descending the stairs.

Having seen her, Naruto dashed and nearly fell into her in his rush. "Hey Konan," he gasped, catching himself with the rail. He held his potted plant forward with the other arm. "Can you watch my plant for me? Don't let it die while I'm gone, okay?"

The one bad thing about being a ninja was his love for watering and tending to plants too often had to take the back burner. Short missions were fine, he'd come home and save a few of his pots. But long missions? Man, it was a good thing he wasn't attached to animal pets. Seeing plants kissing the dust and rotting was bad enough.

She gave him a puzzled expression at first but, sighing, took the plant. "Very well."

"Thanks." He laughed. "I gave the first to my sensei as a gift and Uki ended up dying because he didn't think to put his porn down and water the poor thing, so I'd hate to loose the second." Thinking for a moment he leaned in whispering, "And you know who wrote that icky, gushy drivel?" He waved his arms at the answer, exclaiming "Jiraiya-sensei!"

She laughed in return, her voice quiet but pleasant. "The side of him that was devoted to peace was truly his best attribute."

Naruto flashed his teeth in a face-splitting grin and she chuckled softly, reflecting on how much of a kid he was at heart. Her smile faded when she glanced at the plant in her hand and noticed a thick leaf that had been broken off.

There was a length of pause as Naruto noticed her line of sight as well.

"It won't remove it, you do realize that don't you?" she asked quietly, voice hushed.

Naruto frowned, his fingers tightening on the stairway rail.

"Yes," he whispered.

The woman nodded and quickly changed the subject. "You saw the Hyuuga just now, didn't you? Was there any new...developments from her side?"

The transition odd, Naruto rubbed his chin. "Nah, not really. Why?"

Why would she want to know about his and Hinata's affairs?

Konan didn't answer, just urged him to leave with a satisfied smile. "Go, child. The sooner you depart, the better."

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

"Alright Sound, here we come!"

Naruto's boisterous declaration was met with groans from his fellow team members. His crusade would be their longest and most complicated mission of all time, and the Sound was only the starting point. Naruto's energy and excitement was way too high when they were just now gaining distance away from the city, the tall towers fading from view.

Karin pushed her glasses up, hissing in an annoyed tone. "You do realize it'll take like three days until we actually get there?"

"Yeah," Suigetsu chided in. "Conserve some of that energy, why doncha?"

Naruto stuck his tongue out at him. "You're just grouchy because of all the weight you're carrying!"

By now even Naruto was long familiar with Suigetsu's notorious traveling habits. The constant complaints and need to stop to either rest his body from carrying so much weight or drink from one of the various bottles he kept on his persons at all times. Then give or take a few minutes later, they would have to stop again so he could pee. Repeat cycle a hundred times. Although, Naruto couldn't blame him for needing to drink so much when his body was so unique. Still, Suigetsu's obsession with impractical swords didn't help any.

When it came to missions, Naruto had always been the type to want to get it done and get it done quickly. How else was he to impress people and become Hokage? And really, he mused, Suigetsu's abilities made him an irreplaceable member of the Taka. They all were, really. Sasuke's wouldn't have accepted any less. Besides those of Team Kakashi, he wouldn't have wanted anyone else for their task.

"Just wait until Kisame comes for ya and I get his sword as well," Suigetsu deadpanned. "Not to mention the other five. I'll cut ya down a peg or two!"

"All of you shut up," Sasuke snapped from ahead of them, not even looking back. "If you have time to babble you're not focused on running!"

Naruto rolled his eyes. Typical Sasuke.

* * *

The day grew hot, but thankfully the landscape had shifted from long, flat plains of grass into lush forests they could leap through, hidden safely by the cool shadows of the foliage. Naruto figured they had reached the edge of the Land of Fire, which was perfect. It was a terrain he was very familiar with, Sasuke as well. They were at a good pace and so far had run into no...

A line of white flashed in his peripheral vision. Down below, further ahead, a Zetsu. Naruto recoiled back, seeing it shoot across the land, thoughts whizzing, both of worry for the Rain, and then of just how far Zetsu could spread and report back to Obito. The fact they were already scouting this far was not good.

Just what the heck was that thing anyway?

Then before Naruto could think to reach for and chuck a kunai at it, Sasuke was there, leaping through the air, body twisting as his arm swung a huge shuriken from out of nowhere.

 _"Amaterasu!_ "

The oddity hadn't noticed them racing in the canopy of branches above until it was too late and by the time it did, the fire-lit weapon was already striking its target dead-on. The oddity screamed, becoming engulfed by the black flames.

The Taka remained perched in the foliage, waiting until the fires consumed every bit of the Zetsu.

And it did. Swallowing it whole until nothing, not even ash, was left.

Suigetsu gave a happy thumbs-up to Sasuke but Naruto could only scowl. He could have totally taken it out! But man, Sasuke was fast, utterly flawless in his aim and speed, had the most useful ninjutsu, and most importantly...

"Where the heck did ya pull that huge shuriken from?"

Sasuke just curtly brushed him off and dashed ahead. Begrudgingly Naruto followed suit, pushing himself to keep up so he wasn't stuck staring at the Uchiha's back. The rest of the team members might have not cared, but he did. He smiled, contemplating that. Him and Sasuke. They were rivals once again.

And next time he was gonna beat him to the enemy.

 ** _'You just want to show off.'_**

Naruto scoffed at the beast inside him. Kurama chuckled.

 _'And what's wrong about that? I bet the moment the other tailed beasts are free you'll do the exact same thing!'_

 _ **'I most certainly would not, boy!'**_

Naruto just laughed out loud and ignored the stares he got for it.

* * *

Their track continued on in a hard, steady pace until the moon was high in the sky, and Karin called a spot they could use to camp. It was a clear patch set on a hill. From there they could see for long distances, yet remain invisible to others from its trees.

"It seems clear," she said, looking around intently. She closed her eyes and raised her two fingers up, focusing. After a minute she relaxed again. "I don't sense any chakra outside our own."

Sasuke nodded in approval. The sky was clear, and the moon full, giving them plenty of lighting. With this factor and Karin's sensory abilities, they were in good shape to know of any enemy well in advance. With their camp set on an elevated patch of land, any of the members would be adequate for keeping watch the entire night, even without sensory abilities.

"Set camp, eat, and get some sleep," Sasuke said. He had pushed them to run for almost an entire day with extremely limited stops for breaks. He would admit that. And take responsibility for it. "I'll take watch."

"You sure? Shouldn't we take turns?"

"Rest."

_-xXx-_

Meals partook, stomachs full, and weary of the long distance they had run, the members found themselves in sleeping bags, laid about in a circle close to their travel packs, and snoring. Close by, but far enough to be able to keep an eye on the distance from his vantage point, Sasuke sat with his back to a tree trunk, rubbing a whetting stone along the edge of his blade. Quietly listening to their snores he made almost synchronized pushes of the stone to the blade.

A noise that was not snoring or animal life sounded. Movement. _Human._

His whetting came to a sudden halt.

 _Sharingan._

Deep red spun to life, bright even in the dimness of the night and in them the hidden movement became clear. The Sharingan deactivated and he let out a sigh.

Figures he would be up. Idiot.

He approached him.

The blond was punching the air as if to train, but in utter silence with no target but air to strike. And Naruto did, punching it, focusing solely on his lone and silent training.

Sasuke poked him on the shoulder, getting his attention. "It's too late. We got a long day tomorrow."

Turning toward him, Naruto said "Sooooo?" He positioned himself and swung at the air again, palm extended outward, fingers curled.

"You need to rest."

"Already did." Another swing.

So. He couldn't sleep.

Sasuke rubbed his temple but decided to leave it be. If Naruto slowed them down the following day it would be his fault alone for not going to bed.

As he was about to leave, fingers gripped his shoulder. "Hey, Sasuke?"

"Hn?"

"How did you pull out that large shuriken earlier?"

He mentally groaned. He knew Naruto was dim-witted, but still.

"A seal obviously," he answered heatedly.

"But there was no scroll. Tenten does the exact same stuff, but she has to carry a bunch of scrolls on her. So what _kind_ of seal?"

Sasuke pulled his arm up and began to undo the outermost covering around it. "The seal is marked onto the band around my arm," he explained. To show what he meant, he held up the now-exposed band, imprinted on it was a circle of markings with the character for "blade" in the center.

Naruto gawked at it as if it was the coolest thing he had ever seen. It was a technique Sasuke had picked up from Orochimaru, so naturally, Naruto wouldn't have known about it. "Neat! That's extremely convenient. Does it work like a summoning?"

"Yes. It's called _Kuchiyose: Raikō Kenka_."

Naruto paused for a moment. A doubtful expression crossed his face. "Would you teach it to me? I mean it would be a great way to store scrolls as well and we already know I'm able to summon."

Sasuke nodded in response, albeit in an annoyed manner. "I guess."

His hand extended out, reaching for Naruto's arm but Naruto jumped back before he could grasp it. "I want it on my actual arm instead of a band or sleeve so the enemy won't be able to tamper with it. Is that possible?"

"Yes," he answered, hand still extended out, waiting for him to let them get it over with.

"And if I have it directly on my skin, would it still be removable?"

Sasuke blinked at him. "What?"

"The permanent seals I already have are enough, y'know? So should the day come when we're in a time of peace I want to be able to get rid of it. Not exactly a tattoo kind of person, you know."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, hardly caring for anything that was just said. Only felt more annoyance at Naruto's badgering. "Should you feel the need to deactivate it, I suppose you could easily."

"Okay then."

Again Sasuke tried reaching for his arm to plant the seal only for the Uzumaki to suddenly jerk it right back, flustered. "Not there!"

"What is it?!" Sasuke snapped impatiently, barely able to control the volume of his voice.

"I'm right-handed!" Naruto exclaimed. "Shouldn't it be the left wrist then?"

Forcing himself to let out a calm, slow breath, Sasuke grabbed the other arm, pulling the sleeve up. His fingers traced along the wrist, palm up. "Just one arm? Two would be utilizing it to its proper capacity."

"Just left," he confirmed.

"You're a waste."

With just a few words, black markings webbed across the area, Naruto tensed watching them. _He's acting funny,_ Sasuke thought, but it lasted only a second and it was done. Naruto held his wrist up to stare at the ring of strange symbols, identical to Sasuke's.

 _Karin was right about him but now is not the time to ask him about it. He's alway just too distracted._

"Summoning: Lightning Flash Blade Creation," Naruto murmured. "Now to train with it!"

 _At least he wastes no time,_ Sasuke mused, smirking. But now Naruto definitely wouldn't be getting to bed. Realizing this, the Uchiha sighed. "How about you take the watch for tonight? No sense in both of us staying up."

"Sure thing," Naruto answered, already holding a scroll above the seal. Closing his eyes and focusing on the technique, the parchment disappeared in a poof. He sucked in his breath, smiling. "Perfect! That's one less scroll I have to carry."

Sasuke turned to leave. A hand grabbed his shoulder, stopping him. "Stop touching me," he growled.

Naruto just laughed. "I actually...Thank you, Sasuke...Really. Thank you."

"I merely taught you a convenience so you would be less of a burden on me. Just be quiet and practice."

Naruto grinned skeptically. "If you _say_ so."

"Hn."

Looking at him, Naruto shuddered. Sasuke's dark brow arched up. "What is it?"

Naruto grinned. "I just realized that this is the first time we're truly working together as a team since Team 7..."

Sasuke shrugged boredly. "You're too sentimental."

"And you're a butthole."

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

Yawning, Naruto stretched himself in the grass, rolling onto his back. By now he was the only one awake and even Sasuke was enjoying sleep. Too tired to train and having agreed to be on watch-duty Naruto was stuck staring at the stars, intending to study them and put them to memory. Unfortunately, the constellations here were familiar and got boring quite quickly.

He shifted, feeling a bit uneasy. It was really quiet, almost naturally so but this could be because the utter lack of any wind or breeze. The air was stagnant without it or would have been had it not been for the cool of the night.

 _I wonder if Hinata is feeling better._

 _Swish._ Something moved, followed by a ruffle of leaves and he sat up, breath catching in his throat, fingers hovering over his new seal. Then sighed when an owl came from the foliage. Flying gracefully away.

 _Geez, I'm still so jumpy..._

He relaxed once more and took a deep breath, the air misty...He let his eyes close just for a moment...

From inside him, Kurama's tensed, practically jumping up from its lying position. **_'Naruto! The air you're breathing in, it's—'_**

He did not hear the rest, only fell into a sudden and deep, deep sleep.

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

He awoke with a gasp. He knew one thing right away, without even opening his eyes. He felt groggy. As in from being _drugged_ groggy. Headache? Check. Disorientation. Double check.

 _Crap, crap, crap! That owl!_ The white owl wasn't even freaking native to those parts, just further north! How could he have let his guard down?! Not to mention—

 _ **'They don't make sounds in their flight!'**_ Kurama chastised. **_'Their feathers absorb sound frequencies! What you had heard was the enemy, Naruto! Even a fledgling Genin wouldn't have made that mistake! And because of it, you guys were made completely vulnerable by their gas and captured!'_**

 _'SHUT UP, KURAMA! I was tired okay?!'_ he spat back. Man, was he going to get it from Sasuke! He could already hear the impending scolding and ranting in his head. Forget the fact he had let his guard down, that and its consequences he knew he could handle. But Sasuke? Man, he was going to be ticked.

He looked around to see if he could figure out where he was. As he did so he commented, _'And I can't help it I'm not familiar with that type of owl...Seriously, where am I anyway?'_

He was sprawled about on cold concrete. Very cold concrete. Three walls of it and a line of bars for the fourth wall surrounded him.

 _Huh!?_ Was he in a _cell_? So was he back in Konoha? Where were Sasuke and the team?

He began to reach for his face when a harsh cold metallic presence stopped his hands' ascent. He was handcuffed, and by chakra suppressors. Ones that sent pain flaring through his arms. This wasn't a dream then, and by Kurama's indication...it obviously wasn't a Genjutsu either.

 _Dang it!_ He hadn't even reached the Sound, the first step on their map and he was already in this position. Totally not part of the plan!

"What the fu—"

_-xXx-_

 **Not Part of the Plan**

"Speed is the essence of war. Take advantage of the enemy's unpreparedness; travel by unexpected routes and strike him where he has taken no precautions."

―Sun Tzu

 _The Art of War_ , Ch. XI, 19

_-xXx-_

Heavy rainfall had become a light shower. Day into night. Konan swallowed and nodded to the man she adored beside her. "Nagato..."

"I know."

Nagato watched somberly as a spiral cut the air in front of them, followed by a darkly-dressed figured. The clouds sewn on his cloak no longer just symbolized blood. It was _stained_ by blood.

"Nagato," it spoke. It had a new mask, a cruel, gleaming white covering with two holes for the eyes. Through them, Sharingan were blazing from narrowed slits. "You have something that belongs to me, Nagato."

 _"Obito."_

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

 **TO BE CONTINUED in Not Part of the Plan/Welcome to the Sound!**

 _If you feel these past few chapters have been light or dull, it's only because it's the calm before the storm and everything they know is about to be tested._

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

 **Leave me your thoughts, concerns, and/or predictions in reviews. :)**

 **For Naruto and the Taka side of things, I will probably surprise and _go against _ your expectations in the next update, seemingly coming from nowhere with it until you really think about it...**

 **But I did drop some clues, whether they're obvious or not is up to you.**

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

 **Author's Note**

 **Why is Kabuto wanting prisoners for his Reanimation Jutsu when he can just use Obito's Zetsu as hosts?**

 _My reasoning will no doubt be shown in the story as I, of course, had planned to do, but I know it takes me awhile to write and this question most likely popped in the numerous readers' minds and needs to be addressed quickly to prevent seeming plot holes. So, here is my reasoning: His relationship with Obito is not set in stone or very well balanced or stable. Should they split for any reason, it would be best to have his own supply of hosts to use. This way Obito won't have control over who and when he summons. If they're his supply, Obito has no power of it._

 **Three days from Rain to Sound?**

 _I really wanted to be accurate with how much time it takes to get from one setting to another but as this world is not real and_ there're _so many variables that can affect the time of travel, I'm just roughly going off a map of Kishimoto's world that I found online. I believe I'm correct when I say it was created ShounenSuki and there's a variation on this map that has a scale on the top. It is this scale I'm going off of._

 _When I created this story, it was also this map I drew the circle around and said my ideas and plans would follow in this order...True story._

 **Special Shout Out and Request:**

 _I was asked to give a shout out to a certain project and I'm happy to do so for an FF buddy,_ **BriEva** _. She's a lot of help and a lot of the Sakura scenes that will come in this story and its revamped predecessor, The Game Called Shogi, are because of her. This includes Sakura being present in the Prologue. She hadn't been until BriEva looked through the original plotline months ago and suggested she become involved. She gave me some ideas and angles on Konoha's end I would have never thought of, me being so focused on torturing our poor_ boys _XD_

 _Check her stuff out. And check out the website below (without spaces or the period spelled out) to support a project her and her college class are working on, creating their own animation, inspired by traditional Japanese elements so seriously, check it out:_

thedemonwithinproduction dot com


	7. Knock on Wood

_AN: Yes, the next chapter's here! Merry Christmas, now here's some dialogue! What?! Yup. Okay, let me get this out. There is a_ _**lot**_ _of talking in this chapter, and if you've haven't noticed the dominating pattern that is forming in this fic I promise you this is the last one to follow this pattern. Seriously, I promise you that 'coz in the next chapter I want to have fun. Not feel like I'm in a repeating-myself rut. XD Also...this particular rut just cost me way too much time for this fic. Time for some friggin stuff to happen! Whooooo!_

 _Although, let me say this, for the Sound Arc...I'm going to play with some dark scenes and I'm going to do it in a way that I feel I don't have to jack the rating up to an M, but it's not going to be very T-friendly either. We're talking T+. It_ _ **won't**_ _be gratuitous, but_ _ **it's still going to be there**_ _. So a warning on that before you're like holy crap, this is awful. What happened to the writer? Nothing happened. It's just I see the Sound in this light._

 _This chapter has been partially written SINCE JULY. Holy crap! JUUUUUUULLY! Waaahhh! But on the side, I have been tinkering with the actual Sound chapter so a good chunk of it's also already been written as well. :)_

* * *

 **PREVIOUSLY:**

 **One minute the Taka was on the road, the next, waking up in a cell...**

'You guys were made completely vulnerable by their gas and captured!' _Kurama chastised._

'I was tired, okay?!' _Naruto spat back. Man, was he going to get it from Sasuke! He could already hear the impending scolding in his head. Forget the fact he had let his guard down, that and its consequences he_ knew _he could handle. But Sasuke?_

 _Confined, alone, and handcuffed by chakra suppressors he tried desperately to figure out where he was._

 **Meanwhile, back in the Rain...**

 _The air before Nagato swirled, followed by a darkly-dressed figure. "Nagato," it spoke, sharingan blazing from narrowed slits. "You have something that belongs to me."_

"Obito _."_

* * *

 **TO START A WAR**

 **BOOK I of III: ART OF WAR**

* * *

"Obito."

A soft sigh met the air and there was a long length of pause. It was a weary sigh, but only to be expected. There would be no going back to the way things were before.

A gloved hand reached for the mask and removed it. Scars marred half the face that made itself seen. Scars that signified there was much that they didn't even know about this man who they had so diligently followed for years. Things that had been kept from them all this time.

"You were never Madara," Konan spat, body tensing. "Just a _liar_."

The word reverberated off the cold walls like a snap of lightning. Spoken in anger by a usually impassive voice.

 _Liar._

Obito frowned. Because of Naruto's words he had been reduced to such a petty thing. "Yes, I am not Madara but an Uchiha who bears his mantel. I am the one who will carry on his will to save this damned world. _Who_ I am does not matter, rather it's who and _what_ I represent, and that is peace. And I _will_ achieve it."

Konan's harsh gaze did not falter. Firmer than rock.

But so was he. "What I do, I do for peace. We've come this far together and I see no need for the Akatsuki to break now." Obito turned towards Nagato, expression stern. "I thought we were on the same page, Nagato."

Nagato shook his head wearily. "As had I."

"If it's a problem of communication we can get it sorted out."

"No. We can't..." He had not met Obito's eyes until he said the following: "The Akatsuki is no longers yours. The Kyuubi is no longer a requirement to peace. Nor my Gedo. Our business together is done."

It was a firm look, resolute as Konan's. In the past, Obito had expected only her to wear it around him, and for Nagato to keep his gaze to the floor or the sky, somewhat distant. But no, he was crystal clear in his choice to break from him now. After all this time, all their work, all the sacrifices.

Obito chuckled darkly. "I'm going to pretend you hadn't just said that."

Every person had a weakness. Their crux. And he knew Nagato's.

"His little whispers got to you, haven't they? Are you really so dense that you would actually accept his babbles over the truth you have learned over the years?"

Konan tensed. "You mean _your_ truth. Right from the very beginning you've been trouble. But no more."

There was a frustrated chuckle, he couldn't believe his ears.

"How can you so easily follow a child's sweet whispers of peace when you've learned the harsh reality of doing so?" He glared into Nagato's eyes and enunciated very pointedly "You are confident now but what happens when someone slits the kid's throat? Naruto is the _next_ _Yahiko_."

From the side, Konan winced and Nagato could only stare down, eyes narrowing at the memory.

Obito knew very well the pain of losing your closest friend and comrade, the weight of their dead body in your arms. There was no going back to that place, no changing back into that happy person you were before. Just harsh change.

"He will die the same death and there is nothing short of the real Madara's plans that can save this world. Face it, Nagato. We need each other, to stick to our plan or nothing will change and neither of us can afford to bank on the kid's idealism, no matter how sweet it sounds."

Nagato opened his mouth to speak but soon closed it, eyes closed. He could not change the truth that idealism he had once believed in led him to become crippled and there was nothing to show for it. His friend, his brief mentor, dead.

"You will surrender such idiotic notions Nagato. You _must_."

"I—"

"You _know_ what the inevitable outcome is, do not let hope blind you." With each word he was drawing closer and closer to Nagato, watching him shriveling up from within his shell of doubts. "You can spare yourself the trouble that you know is inevitable. And if it's an attachment problem you have gotten, I will give him a quick end rather than the long painful one he would have otherwise endured."

Actually, Obito would give Naruto anything but a quick death after the mess he had caused with Nagato. He was going to make sure he suffered for at least a lifetime under Genjutsu torture before he gave him release.

"..."

His sharingan were enveloping Nagato's rinnegan.

"Now tell me, Nagato, so I can remedy this before it gets out of hand. _Where. Is. He?_ "

_-xXx-_

 **Welcome to the Sound**

" _Appear_ weak when you are strong,

and strong when you are weak."

―Sun Tzu

 _The Art of War_ , Ch. I, 19

_-xXx-_

White owls, a cold prison, and the use of gas to subdue an enemy. Whoever had captured them was not the normal enemy. They were good, and frankly, had been wise to not try to initiate a fight with them. Meaning, they didn't underestimate them.

Naturally cautious.

Naruto frowned and swung himself into sitting position. He was going to assume that the lack of any sort of bed meant the stay was planned to be short. Fine by him.

It took him just ten seconds to use the Kyuubi's chakra to access his new seal and produce a previously planted lockpicker from it, a simple needle really. And voilà. He was cuffed no more.

Reaching the bars he leaned forward and tried peeking out into the hallway. It was quite long from what he could tell, flanked by men in strange armor, and lined with many cells like the one he was in. He caught sight of a few bodies in some, even recognized Suigetsu's snoring from the one beside him. He smiled. The rest of the Taka were probably nearby as well.

Still...Why were they in prison cells like this?

He tried to call out to the nearby guard but was ignored. Rolling his eyes he sat himself down and tried to figure things out, being sure to keep his hands behind his back should a guard happen to walk by. He wanted to ponder the situation before just running on out. He found that not doing that always just made things worse. So recon it was.

He definitely wasn't captured by a rogue like Obito. Had he been he could only imagine the position and state he would have woken to find himself in. So who could have done it? Who would have even been able to reach them so fast? Had they come from the north?

Wait a minute! He remembered now, the strange armor, and the owl that was native to snowy lands!

"Ah!" he exclaimed, unable to keep his voice down as he reveled in his genius. "I think I know whodunnit!"

"Well, no dip!"

He nearly jumped at the sound of Karin's voice as she approached his cell, a scowl on her face. Behind her, the guard had collapsed to the floor.

"Hey! Howda—"

She held up her own pick, this one much thicker than his and shaped to loosen the tumblers in a big lock like the one on his cell door.

"Oh."

As she began to work on the lock, her eyes narrowed and she said through gritted teeth, "What gave it away, the fact the now-unconscious guard has that armor or the fact we were nearing the Land of Iron and you completely neglected to factor them in!?"

"They're like extinct, though!" he argued back, remembering the circle he had drawn on their map. He really hadn't thought to even consider the Land of Iron. Not too long ago it was a place not even in his consciousness and might as well been a different planet. "How was I supposed to know they would come up? I mean... _seriously_! They're _samurai_!"

She gave an exaggerated sigh. "This is why this isn't going to work—"

"Don't' say that!" he interrupted a little too angrily. Seeing her widened eyes, he forced himself to take a calm breath., "Seriously, I don't want you or anyone else to even think that. I mean I just screwed up, okay? I'll be more careful from now on...You just can't expect me to know every little thing that's going to come at us. I thought I did, you know, Obito, Kabuto, Zetsu, Root members, so forgive me forgetting one little possibility! I mean...They're samurai!"

"I'm sorry but think about it, Naruto. Just because they distance themselves from the shinobi world, doesn't mean they're _not_ going to be a problem. They're warriors in their own right. Besides, even the Kage acknowledge them. Why do you think the summit was held here?"

"Ah, 'coz they're neutral?"

"Idiot."

"Ninja are better."

"Says the one who let his guard down and got captured. Yeah. _Totally_ better."

 _Hey, I'm still getting the hang of this,_ was what he was what he was about to say when all of a sudden a presence verged upon them.

"Uh-huh!" Again, Naruto nearly jumped as Suigetsu approached from seemingly nowhere.

"Geez," he wheezed. "I keep forgetting you're made of water."

Suigetsu's teeth flashed in a boastful smile before his lips curled into a snarl. "They took my sword."

"They took all our stuff," Karin retorted, finishing with the lock. His cell door screeched as it swung open.

Suigetsu made a sound from his throat that sounded like a growl. "My. _Sword_. Do you not realize how spe—"

"Oh shut up, fish head," she spat. "We'll get it back, but we need to get out of the prison block first."

"Finally get to cut loose!" Suigetsu's short-lived high at the prospect was destroyed with one look from Naruto.

"No unnecessary confrontations and _no_ killing. That won't help our position at all, only make things worse and that's the last thing we need now." Suigetsu frowned, grumbling under his breath, "Maybe here, but not in the Sound."

Karin stared at him briefly before her eyes dropped to the floor, staying there as her mouth drew in a firm line. Suigetsu shrugged to her.

He wasn't like Sasuke when it came to making revenge his sole reason for existence. No, but there was still payback to be had to the guys who had captured and turned him in to Orochimaru. The only thing more exciting to him about this journey than the prospect of getting to face Kisame out in the open was their excursion to the Sound and the people who wasted years of his life.

True compared to many of Orochimaru's other prisoners he had gotten off lucky, spending most of his time in a tank and not dissected alive but still. Way too long. Naruto could spare the samurai, but no way was he gonna let the black marketeers slide. Even Sasuke hadn't that one time...

"Alright," Suigetsu said, popping his knuckles in a bored manner. "But see if we get there without running into a samurai and I doubt they're gonna just let us waltz by...Hey Swirls, get a move on."

Naruto continued to sit in the cell, positioned in the lotus position until orange began to color around his eyes. Once he had reached the state, he stood.

"What is it?" Suigetsu asked.

"I don't sense him."

Karin released a tired breath. "You do realize I'm a sensory, right? I already knew he wasn't here and could have told you that."

Naruto opened his eyes, the orbs a strange yellow, the irises' shape even stranger. Frog-like, Suigetsu thought. "How long have you known?"

Karin looked hurt for a moment but shook it off and turned her back to them. "I don't know." She began to walk down the hall. The boys could only fall behind her, expecting the rest of her answer. "I just know that he...He left before we woke up."

"You was awake wasn't you."

It wasn't a question and the slight accusation in Naruto tone, directed not at her but at Sasuke, made her grimace. "...No. He...He just—"

"Was too impatient and knew I'd interfere with him taking guards out."

"No, Naruto...It wasn't like that."

"But he _was_ here."

"Yes."

"But not anymore."

"Please just stop."

"And there some unconscious guards up ahead..." Just as he had said, they reached a pile of guards that could not simply be woken up. One, in particular, was still writhing, his eyes glazed over. His breathing was fast and after removing the helmet, two watery streaks told their tales.

Naruto sighed as he spiked the man's chakra then hit him on the back of the neck. La la land it was, free from the genjutsu's horrors. Right beside him, another guard was gasping for breath, hand held over a bleeding wound that had been struck between his armor. Naruto set to work immediately, removing the armor to bind the wound.

"What're you doing?" Suigetsu asked skeptically.

"Our fight is not with them." Naruto ripped a long strand of fabric from the bottom of the man's shirt and pressed it against the sword wound. He let out a tired sigh as the man faded into unconsciousness, a relieved expression on his face.

"But Sasuke was definitely here."

The truth dawning on Suigetsu, his eyes grew large. "So he _left_ us. Oh, that's _lovely._ "

"No doubt as a test..." Karin interjected, her optimism not exactly coming out very well.

That was highly likely, for him to study how his team could manage in case of capture, but still.

"He left us," Suigetsu repeated. "Nothing screams team leader more."

"Hush." Naruto frowned. "In any case, I marked my bow so I can warp to it. It'll be in the armory with the rest of our stuff."

He reached for their hands. "Come on. We can skip a lot of guards this way."

A second later they were in the armory just as he said. Thankfully he'd had his Sage Mode activated and it had been a short distance, else he would have felt the effects of using his teleportation jutsu.

The armory was filled with rows of shelves, each holding what seemed to be thousands of weapons and armor. The non-samurai equipment was in the furthest corner and from there the Taka's equipment shined. The only pieces missing were Sasuke's. He had come here to retrieve his stuff as well, and the money bag Konan had given them for their funds.

"Now get us out of here," Suigetsu said as they finished digging all their stuff out. Karin had smacked him when he tried to steal one of the samurai's blades. He tightened the strap binding Zabuza's massive sword and looked to Naruto expectantly. Naruto sighed. "I can only go to spots I've marked...So unless you wanna go to Konoha or the Rain now, we continue on foot. _After_ finding Sasuke."

Suigetsu groaned. "Endlessly roaming the samurai's castle halls' it is then. Betcha they're flanking the entire place."

Karin nodded reluctantly. "They are. But they're not moving..."

"And?"

"They clearly know we're here, right here, but aren't doing anything. Well, not the ones in the castle. I sense that there are others outside the castle, probably trying to hunt down Sasuke..."

Naruto finished retrieving his last sheath before placing a hand on the doorknob. "Then they're expecting us. I say we find the leader and talk it out before a fight breaks out between Sasuke and the chasers that result in casualties, in which case their leader will surely take this even further. Unlike Sasuke, we'll resolve things here first before leaving, clean it up."

And cleaning it up he was going to do, no matter what. But apparently, he wasn't the only one who wanted that. He started to get a feeling as they began roaming the halls. They were long and cold, but quiet. A little too quiet.

When they walked right past a guard and the woman did nothing he knew something was definitely up.

"Feels trappish..."

"What?"

Naruto shook his head. "I mean it feels like we're...going where they want us to."

Karin shifted her pack, almost consciously. "I'm getting the same vibe."

Suigetsu pointed ahead. "Look, that light."

The hallway came to an end after merging into a humongous foyer. At the far end of it, a door was opened, inside of which he could make out a kneeling form.

From inside Naruto, the fox gave a chuckle. ' _ **You're expected.'**_

Naruto took a deep breath and entered in, not surprised to see the head of the samurai, Mifune, sitting there expectantly, sipping from a porcelain cup.

Behind them, the door was closed on them by a guard.

Finished with his sip, the man set his cup on the table and looked to the team. He addressed them, expression serious as he looked at them with his round eyes, under which many lines were engraved on his skin. "We must talk, ninja, and should I find you a threat I will execute you without hesitancy for the stability of this world."

All around the room, guards stood by, weapons already held out and ready for the call. This guy wasn't joking. One wrong move and...

Suigetsu twitched, about to react and attack but Naruto held his hand up. "Stand down!"

Ignoring Suigetsu's angered expression, he nodded to the old man. "I'll comply. We'll talk. On one condition, your men chasing after Sasuke stand down as well. There needn't be any bloodshed today."

The man stared at him then glanced to one of his guards. "How many guards did he kill to get here?"

"None."

He hummed thoughtfully before motioning for Naruto to take a seat. "Very well. We'll talk."

Naruto kneeled down to sit in front of the small table. He kept his hands on the surface. Mifune nodded in approval before a stern look came over his features.

"Your team members and supplies and weapons will remain in my custody until we reach a verdict. Should they or you try to escape before we come to a conclusion, we'll act accordingly."

"Wait," Suigetsu hissed. "What?! No way!"

"Sui," Naruto said, voice stern. _This isn't the freaking Sound or Akatsuki's!_ "Just go with them...This talk shouldn't be long."

He kept his eyes on Mifune as the two were marched out rather reluctantly.

Mifune took a short sip from a porcelain cup tea before setting his hands on the table, fingers interlocked. "Do you know why you are here?"

"Honestly, I have _no_ clue."

Mifune chuckled. "I appreciate your honesty." His round eyes grew serious as he continued. "I suspected your first move would be to cut the greatest evil down and one who happens to be a common enemy to most, that being the man we now know as Obito and Orochimaru's underling. This would mean an excursion to the Sound. Therefore we anticipated when you would be close enough to apprehend the easiest."

Naruto tensed. This man had figured out their destination, and if he had, then others soon would and act upon it. They didn't have long then. It's just the samurai had happened to be closest to act first. But still, he had just said that Kabuto was a common enemy. Why stop him at all? Naruto hadn't done anything to Mifune to warrant this. Not that he could think of at the top of his head. Sure he had crashed the party at the Summit but had done so to bring truths to the light.

"But why me?"

"I had you captured because you are either the biggest threat to this world or its salvation. You see, boy, as a samurai I have watched from this cold perch as the ninja have long abused their chakra. So easily they use it to overpower those without it or they act before words, cutting their enemies down. They've grown arrogant and have lost honor. But, you..."

Naruto shifted as Mifune pulled out a piece of paper from his folder. "When you made your little scene at the summit a few days ago, you did so under your own authority, the Bijuu and the Rain I believe. Let's see, the words were, ' _To the Kage of all nations and all those who'd threaten peace or seek to gain the Bijuu as their own...'"_

Naruto felled to stop himself from saying out loud, "You seriously had that documented! Word for word?"

Mifune's round eyes glance up, staring at him. "Do you not even realize the scope of your own acts?"

Naruto glanced down.

"In any case, you have the capacity to throw your kind into even greater turmoil...But I believe you've inherited convictions that many shinobi have lost."

Naruto felt a bit of relief wash through him, the tenses in the air easing.

"You see, boy, already your reputation, even though you are quite young, precedes you. The son of the fourth hokage, the Kyuubi host, and friend of the kazekage. Pupil of a legend who even I have respect for..."

"Jiraiya."

"Yes, we samurai are here to keep watch over the tides your kind makes, to intervene when needed. And many times Jiraiya was there, acting nobly. There is a rumor that Jiraiya took in orphans for a time to a nation he wasn't even from. That is not something a vain ninja would take upon himself. Too often children and civilians are forced to suffer from battles that wreak havoc to the land in their scale because of the many wars ninja have waged against each other."

Naruto nodded. "Trust me, I understand that and I want to break that cycle and he wanted to, too."

"These are the convictions your ninja system _needs_. This is why I believe you could be the exact catalyst the shinobi need. But we must look at the facts and see the threats for what they are. You are joined to a man who is the embodiment of exactly what's wrong with your ninja world."

"You mean Nagato?"

"Pain. But yes. The very leader of the Akatsuki. The Akatsuki is what's wrong with the ninja. Honorless curs and you will not find one samurai, even ronin, among their ranks."

Naruto took a long breath as he leaned back. "It's a long story, trust me on that, but all you need to know now is that he is a victim who has since seen the errors of his ways. I would trust him with my life now. Which is something I couldn't say a few months back."

Mifune's eyes drifted down to his sword. "It is hard for me to trust this from someone who is still just budding. You have not experienced history and history warns us to be cautious. History never changes. Pain will be your downfall, if not your Uchiha partner."

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

With a deep intake of breath, Nagato brought his head up. "My answer is this, idealism it may be, but I will not allow you to harm the boy more than you already have, Obito. He is the only chance left, not the Akatsuki, not the Gedo, but the bonds he's managed to weave to those he meets. It is those connections that will spread to form a bridge to peace. And it is this bridge I and Konan and this village will protect. Now _leave_. You are no longer a part of us."

"Nagato, you need to rethink whose side you're on. YOU may think you're on his side but you've long strayed from the light. You've committed acts from which there can be no atonement for them and so have no one to rely on but yourself, an overly ambitious boy with delusions of grandeur and a destroyed city. I may be outnumbered here, but outside, my influence is endless. My army innumerable."

Nagato's expression tightened, and his lips pulled into almost a smirk. "You're right there, but you overestimate yourself."

"Pray explain."

"How old were you when Madara _broke_ you? Just a mere child, a heartbroken one who never grew up right after being stunted so. Naruto may still be a child in many ways but he's far outgrown you. And also unlike you, he has people behind him to back him. He will continue to warm the coldest hearts and be a bridge for others to follow while you will alienate others and only find yourself dying alone."

Konan gleamed from beside her partner, pleased by his newfound conviction. "Your reign over the Akatsuki is over," she said silkily.

Obito was visibly seething with anger. Gone was the cool, collected facade of Madara.

"You two are the ones alone. The boy has turned the Kage and his own village against him. And me. I still have the remaining members on my side. And as long as you have that little wretch here, running around with my Kyuubi I will hunt for him. I believe I've found a device we, the rest of the remaining Akatsuki members, can use to contain it until the Gedo is ready to seal it. And I will find him. I'll have my Zetsu's counterparts tear through this city until he is found!"

He meant his threat, there was no doubt about that. He was desperate.

Konan moved into an offensive position, spreading her arms as paper whirled from them, encircling the room. "You will not touch our city, but leave it. My spies are everywhere as well!"

Obito slammed his fist into the wall, ripping the paper in his arms reach "You need me just as much as I need you, Nagato. And trust me, I'm not going to let _anything_ get in the way of peace, I'll take you by force if I have to!"

A Pain leaped forward, hand held ready to attack. Obito snarled, hands dancing into movement, eyes blazing with intensity.

Suddenly a plume of fire filled the area Obito stood as a figure dashed from behind, forcing Obito to back into the wall.

"Who starts a fight in such a small room?!"

The hooded form stood in front of Nagato and Konan defensively, a short blade extended out and pointed toward Obito. "Take it outside! Or better yet, get out of here like they told you to."

Obito gasped, his sharingan taking the form in.

"Itachi! No...Your chakra. You're an Uchiha." He seemed sincerely startled. "But that's impossible!"

The man smirked. "From what I know, your shell of an existence should be an impossibility too. Gosh, now you know how everyone else felt meeting you."

"Who are you?" Obito demanded, annoyed by the happy tone the man spoke with. He was an Uchiha in blood only.

Konan smiled. "You are outnumbered, Obito."

"Tch, this encounter will not change my plans. You _will_ see me again, and when you do, it'll be your last time."

He disappeared, and once all traces of his aura was gone, Shisui released a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding in.

"Whew...I don't think he knows about me yet. Element of surprise! That's good..." He turned to Konan, an apologetic smile on his lips. "Too many times the strength of an Uchiha is gauged solely by their ocular prowess...So I think it's best he's kept ignorant of my, um, condition."

She grabbed hold of his hand, holding it in a warm grasp. "Thank you. We avoided an unnecessary fight for today. It was a winnable one certainly, but this city must be kept in consideration...And by all means, you see more than he does." She let go, sighing. "To think we were like that..."

Shisui hummed in agreement. "Still, that guy's gonna have to be dealt with. If he comes back I can fight him, but I don't' think I could spare his life. He's..."

"Naruto must be the one..." Konan's voice seemed suddenly somber in tone as she glanced out the window, watching the rain. "That man is the trigger to so many of the trials he's had to and continues to face. It is his fight. We can only urge him to keep him on the right path and support him."

And keep him on the right path she would do. Even if it meant hiding the distractions of marriage from him. She turned to Nagato, frowning. "I pray he achieves his quest. I know he will, but still..."

They had just staked _everything_ on him. There would be no going back from this.

What kind of world would Naruto's child be born into?

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

Back in the Land of Iron, Naruto took a deep breath. Ready with his answer to Mifune.

"History may not change, human nature...I've already seen it...But people do change," Naruto said. "And he has. And I won't abandon that hope, else I'll just fall into the darkness like Obito did. And I refuse to."

"Uzumaki, how is it you are able to sit here, with absolute trust in people who've tried to kill you in the past? How can you even guarantee this path you're taking, against your beloved village, against the current Hokage which you desire to become, will not end in foolery?"

"Because I have to."

There was a long silence.

"And the fact the Uchiha would leave you behind as he has so colorfully shown today?"

Naruto thoughts shifted back to the Rain village. To when he had first gotten back. It wasn't Nagato he had went to first but rather the prison, to Akio.

A man who in his grief tried to kill him. And when all was said and done he felt nothing but pity for him.

 _The man shifted back, a confused expression on his face as Naruto put the key into the lock on his cell door and began twisting at it. He looked even more confused when Naruto came in and sat himself down across from him._

" _I'm going to find out everything I can about Konoha's attack and speak to the man responsible."_

 _Akio blinked a few times before shaking his head. "It's meaningless."_

" _It may not change the past, but it'll affect the future. Do you understand? That is my answer. To make sure such an act is never condoned again."_

 _With that, he reached for the Akio's shackles with a small key. "I'm leaving the Rain today. But you'll see me again. And whether or not you try to kill me...Well, that's up to you. But I won't sit down and take it. For now..." The shackles fell. "You're a free man."_

 _The man laughed darkly, rubbing his sore wrists. "Think you're immune to what the smaller people feel just because you're a shinobi? The day's going to come when that faith you got is going to shrivel up. When someone you care about is going to die in your arms and it's your fault. Come back to me after that comes to pass and show me how confident you are then about your path. Look me in the eyes and show me that resolve."_

 _And then he left, all the anger in him practically palpable. And it hurt. Naruto shook his head and went on his way, feeling powerless. Still, he had not let it deter him from his conviction. He couldn't._

Naruto blinked now, the memory fading.

Akio hadn't been the first one to deliberately spit at his intentions. The first time had been physical. Sasuke, at the final valley, when he had tried to stop him and he just laid there and spat at his face.

Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasuke. Many in his village, his friends, had long deemed him a lost cause. But Naruto knew better.

He was quiet for awhile. Then he smiled. "Does it count when you yourself planned this, knowing the outcome ahead of time?"

Mifune chuckled. "You're smarter than you act. But even as a test, the outcome was still your's to come to. His. And he's proven my point. You would be wise to leave such a person behind if you wish to keep your intentions noble."

"You overestimate something, though, a huge factor."

"And what was that?"

"How vital bonds are to me. And how I will never give them up."

He stood as if to leave. Men tensed, grabbing their weapons and it was only by the general's hand that they stayed them.

"I don't know about you, samurai, but what makes true shinobi who they are is the fact they endure. They have to."

Words came from an impassive face, but they sounded as though from a smile. Pleased.

"Namikaze."

"Yeah?"

"I'm satisfied with your answer.."

Naruto smiled, nodding.

"I will let you continue your quest without the interference of the samurai as long as you do not stray from the position you hold now. You're an honorable warrior."

Naruto nodded thanks but quickly turned around. "Oh yeah, call off your men hunting Sasuke down. He goes with me still."

There was a loud sigh but Mifune reluctantly nodded. "For now."

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

Sasuke had rented a room at the nearest inn under the alias "Raijin".

By the time they found the correct room, Naruto's anger was starting to leak out. Suigetsu shifted back from him as he knocked the door, a nervous smile on his lips. Karin glanced around hesitantly.

"It was just a test," she said quietly. "It had to be, to see how we would handle the situation..."

Naruto knocked louder until the door opened, a pale hand on the handle. Sasuke looked out from the frame, shirtless and slightly damp. A towel was hanging from his shoulder. "That was faster than I expected."

He motioned for them to enter but Naruto didn't move. Instead crossed his arms. His foot tapped against the ground impatiently.

"Talk. _Now_. Dressed first."

They met on the inn's rooftop. There, scowls of different degrees were exchanged.

"Answer me this," Naruto began. "Say complications had arisen with that Mifune guy...Would you have actually left us?"

"If you couldn't get yourself out," he said stoically, "then you're not fit for this journey and will only prove to be baggage."

"Ugh, I _knew_ it!" He threw up his hands. "I seriously knew it! Listen, Sasuke, people aren't made to be flawless machines and sometimes things happen! You don't just abandon your team like that! I mean, seriously! Ugh, you don't' even know how to be part of team right, do you? No, you're so focused on your goals that you treat the people close to you like expendable things rather than people and it's so grating and—UGH!"

"Done?"

"No..." Naruto sat down on the cold tiles, lowering his voice. "I mean...You were once vulnerable too, weren't you?"

"Excuse me?"

"I thought about it a lot, the time after you brought Itachi down...to the time you joined the Akatsuki. I could never wrap my mind on that drastic shift...Until I thought about Obito and his tactics. He talked to you after your battle with Itachi? But the funny thing is, you don't let people just talk to you, certainly not deter you from your path, but then you lost yours and so he must of had to do what Kakashi did then, tie you up just to force you to sit there and lis—"

A fist flew at him, he ducked just before it could crash into his skull.

"See what I mean? You're just as human as the rest of us!" He made a mock shocked expression. "Who could have known!" The silly expression dropped as he became angry again, the lines on his face bunching up.

"And wanna know something, while you sat there, taking his crap in, your team could have left you, but they didn't Sasuke. Even now, they're still here! Well, except Juugo. He's out there fighting his demons for this team but none of that matters to a butthole like you. Seriously, you need to stop viewing people as mere things and let someone in, at least _one_ person!"

Sasuke glowered.

But Naruto wasn't finished. "Just one person, alright. Preferably a, um, a _shrink_ —"

Again a fist was swung forward, this time catching him in the face. Naruto retaliated with a kick, his foot slammed into Sasuke's shin with full force.

Sasuke wobbled back, grimacing for a moment as he righted himself. For a moment he looked as if he wanted to try to hit him again, his fingers twitched but he remained still.

"Done?" Naruto asked tauntingly.

"Tch."

Sasuke turned his back and walked away, calling behind his back "We leave in five, get to the Sound Village by nighttime and camp outside the outskirts."

He was limping slightly.

Naruto smiled, rubbing his cheek.

_-xXx-_

Back inside the room, he ignored Suigetsu's amused stares.

He was sprawled on the couch, elbows pointed outward as he rested the back of his head in his hands. Next to the couch was the door to the bathroom where Karin was taking a shower. Sasuke still hadn't come back. "Just think, tomorrow we're gonna be there. And I can't wait!"

"You seem overly anxious," Naruto commented.

Suigetsu grinned. "I have my own plans. Besides, as bad as it is, it's like a jungle there. Meaning lots of shade and water."

"Yeah," Naruto said. "You guys keep talking like it's some kind of hell but it can't be all that bad. I mean what's the worst that could happen?"

Suigetsu grimaced and nearly trampled over Naruto as he scrambled to the wooden table in the center of the inn room. He knocked on it a couple of times.

"What was that for?" Naruto asked.

"I don't want your bad luck, you jinx!"

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

 **Next time: Infiltration.**

Cue the Mission: Impossible theme XD

 **AN:** _For this arc, I also ended up expanding it, or rather, developing it from its original simple plan. I've had to resort to creating original characters, they will remain in this arc only, and serve to expand the story and the Sound only. I will try not to focus heavily on them, because I tend not to favor OCs myself. Still, I hope this arc is a good one and will keep you reading for more. It is also a spot that will perhaps mirror the atmosphere of the original story, regarding the Akatsuki and references to Orochimaru._

 _So if you don't mind dark things being in a fanfic, then you should be fine. If you do mind, well, you might want to strap in, dawn's looking pretty and I have a treat for y'all afterward._ _ **It involves a kiss.**_ _:)_ _ **And you will not be expecting it until it gets to that scene!**_ _  
But until then...Hee, you old people know the drill, I'm gonna do it in two chapters. Maybe three but I'm hoping to keep it to two. Soon hopefully. I hated this chapter. What was I thinking back in July!? Ugh._

 _Seriously, I loved the concept for this but writing it killed me XD No more, though, time to go back to my roots and play with Suigetsu and Sasuke too._


	8. Welcome to the Sound: The Plan

_AN: Time for some fun. Seriously._

 _To prevent this episode from taking forever to be posted,_ _**this episode will be released in shorter separated parts**_ _. It is either this course or another huge bout of time passage._

* * *

 **PREVIOUSLY:**

 **Recovering from a slight incidental detour, the Taka prepares to reach the Sound Village for the first stage of this plans...**

 _"Just think," Suigetsu said, "tomorrow we're finally gonna reach the Sound. And I can't wait!"_

 _"You seem overly anxious," Naruto commented._

 _Suigetsu grinned. "I have my own business to attend to there."_

 _"You guys keep talking like it's some kind of hell but it can't be all that bad. I mean what's the worst that could happen?"_

 _Suigetsu nearly trampled over Naruto as he scrambled to the wooden table and knocked on it. "Don't give us bad luck, you jinx!"_

* * *

 **TO START A WAR**

 **BOOK I of III: ART OF WAR**

* * *

"You two sure have been gone a long time." The bartender cast a surprised look to a couple of his regulars as the two men sat down at the bar. The stools practically had their rears imprinted into it from use.

His bar may not have been the nicest in the Sound Village let alone Land of Sound but he'd always prided himself on having the homiest one. The patrons were loyal and the last calls inexistent. He genuinely enjoyed his job and the people. These two in particular practically lived here but hadn't shown in a while. Gave him cause for concern. It was common to happen in the village, the disappearances, but not to shinobi of their rank. They were chunin, not expendable genin.

"Been months I'd say," the first, a young man by the name of Akira commented. He was a man of shorter stature but a nice build. Fair hair, green eyes. His buddy Daichi nodded before setting a menu down. He belonged to an old clan and had dark hair and features. He tended to be the most serious of the two but seemed to be a little more so tonight for some reason.

"Three to be precise. And, Shigure, I'll have the usual."

"Oh!" the younger suddenly explained. "That's right, it was Shigure! I mean Shigure I want the usual too, y'know." Akira chuckled embarrassedly before looking to the side, biting his lip. There was a length of pause.

" _For kami's sake, let him do the talking!"_

Daichi gave a brief look to the slightly flustered Akira before turning his attention to the counter in a bored manner. "Been a long journey home, could use a meal as well. Extra rice."

The Land of Sound used to be called the Land of Rice Fields. The rice dishes and sake were plenty and the prices decent. It also happened to be Daichi's favorite dish. He just wasn't Daichi unless he ordered extra.

"All right," Shigure said before walking to the other side of the counter. He grabbed some glasses and handed the order to a cook behind the frame. "What took you guys so long anyway? I almost thought you were dead..."

"It was just one of those missions," Daichi said. "Out of state kind of things."

Shigure whistled. "For so long? Must have been important. May I ask where?"

"I dunno if we're allowed to say," Akira said, answering him this time. "It's kinda top secret."

" _Say you have to go to the bathroom. NOW."_

Daichi suddenly stood. "Excuse us for a moment." His hand wrapped around his younger friend's arm. "I forgot that we were supposed to turn our mission report in as soon as we got back home. Food can wait."

The bartender barely had time to respond before the two men had left. He rubbed the back of head wearily before shrugging his shoulders.

Outside, he and the customers missed the sight of Daichi slugging Akira. A child hadn't though. He was a dirt-covered young lad with an eyepatch covering one of his eyes. Seeing what looked like the beginning of a row, he stopped to gawk in interest but was quickly dragged along by an equally dirty woman.

"No, no," she whispered. "You don't want that trouble. Causes _missings_."

"Mooooom..." His voice faded, only to be replaced by an angry voice.

"What did I tell you about your speech!?" Sasuke exclaimed, fists shaking.

Naruto got back to his feet, rubbing his cheek. "What do you mean, I was playing along then you two freak out! Seriously! What did I do!?"

From the radio earpiece, Karin hissed with anger just as she had to them in the bar. " _It's your rhetoric, stupid. Your speech patterns. Akira doesn't slur and especially doesn't rely on informal contractions!"_

"Like what!?" Naruto demanded, unable to fight the habit of pressing his finger to his ear with the radio. The ones Karin had given the two boys were smaller than the ones he had used in Konoha and didn't have visible mouthpieces. Just a little wad of metal that he feared could easily fall out if struck hard enough in the right angle.

Sasuke rubbed his temple, practically glaring in frustration. "You're "gonna"s for one thing," he snapped. Dunno, and kinda, and especially your obsessive insistence to use "y'know" or the like. Get. Rid. Of. Them."

Regardless the anger being aimed at him, Naruto couldn't help laugh. He'd never heard Sasuke use so many casual words, let alone all at once.

"I'm sorry," he said between giggles. "But I can't help it, it's just how I talk, okay? I mean is it really so bad if a few slip in?"

" _Yes,"_ she responded in exasperation. " _If you don't quit talking like a teenager, they're going to catch on that you aren't a chunin by the name of Akira. Now you're going to have to find another spot to gather intel. We need to figure out what happened to the Daimyo if we're going to make any progress."_

Sasuke shook his head. "We're done here for tonight, K. We need to regroup."

By regrouping, he meant to join the rest of the Taka outside the village. They had spent the day actually in it and had just started making good progress with at least surveying the fields and castle from the outside. The Daimyo's whereabouts on the other hand? Not so much.

"Really?" Naruto whined. "We just got here."

"Now."

_-xXx-_

 **EPISODE 3.1: Welcome to the Sound:**

 **The Plans**

"If you know the enemy and know yourself,

you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.

If you know yourself but not the enemy,

for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat.

If you know neither the enemy nor yourself,

you will succumb in every battle."

―Sun Tzu

 _The Art of War_ , Ch. III, 18

_-xXx-_

"His name's Akito." A black and white photo was placed in the center of the table the group was setting around. The Taka had collected themselves once more outside the very village Orochimaru created. The village itself was easy to get into but it was better to remain far from it to discuss their plans, let alone be gathered together without raising suspicions. Thus the quick stay in a cheap motel outside the village in a not too far away city.

The Sound Village itself was surrounded by traditional walls but its security was suspiciously low. Almost welcoming. Like they wanted you to come in. And a tourist would, only to be put at a certain discomfort when surrounded by too many cold people who often dressed in a mix of traditional and military style. They would quickly learn that it was not a place to visit for its rice or music but far from it. It was a power hungry unit. And there was a man to blame for this.

The one in the photo.

Seated in the picture was a heavy-set man with dark hair and thick facial hair. It was this man who was solely responsible for the creation of the Sound and Orochimaru's rise. He had let the devil in for power and profit. Now he was missing.

Karin set her notes on the man down next to the picture. "I asked around as well."

"You mean whored around," Suigetsu grumbled under his breath. Karin deftly elbowed him.

"I didn't need to resort to that. This guy's a hot topic."

Sasuke raised a brow. Even though they were back outside the village he hadn't let his transformation drop. It had taken a long time to get it locked up, chakra levels and everything and Naruto suspected neither of the two would deactivate the heavy jutsu until the mission was over. Still, it was odd looking at this man, this lean freckled thing and know that it was Sasuke. "What do you mean?"

Karin nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I mean this guy has become a fascinating ghost. No one's seen him since Orochimaru's death. Yet no officials from other lands have investigated. No news of his death either. He's become invisible."

No death and no investigation. Naruto had been there before.

"Or hostage," Naruto breathed in a whisper.

The group stared at him.

"Think about it," he said. "The fatty's a man of importance. A political object." Naruto had a somewhat sad expression on his face but it soon disappeared as he continued to speak. "Someone took his place and is holding him prisoner. With him alive, he can still be used if needed, like for official paperwork requiring his signature. With his seal, no one's gonna ask too many questions and the captor still holds his power."

"That is likely," Sasuke murmured. He then turned his attention to Suigetsu.

"Suigetsu. What have you learned about those in position?"

"Half of the old guys are dead," he said chuckling. "We got some new guys according to the local shinobi and farmers."

He set his own wad of notes down. Unlike Karin's, his writing was hardly more than a scribble and the paper was crinkled and even looked as if it had gotten wet and dried that way. "The head drug lord for example. We got a new guy. Well, not a new guy, just a young one who got his leading competitor out of the way. Some guy named Sachihiro. His girl's Natsuko, you remember that bombshell? Still rocking the rings and keeping them straight. And by straight, I mean the rings, not the guys, and they're in order."

Naruto licked his lips nervously. "And by rings...You mean traffickings like drugs and knock-offs?"

Suigetsu laughed out loud. "Oh, you're so cute. Nah, I mean that and humans. A whole black market. Orochimaru may be gone but they still ship people out to Kabuto periodically. And other villages."

Naruto's fist tightened and a scowl came over his face. He remembered the time on the retrieval mission with Yamato Kabuto had tried to trick them with a fake corpse, pretending that it was Sai. That he would and _could_ randomly pull a dead guy out sickened him. Orochimaru was dead. Why couldn't he just find his own path and leave them alone? "Why is he still taking people?"

Suigetsu shrugged.

"Think about it," Sasuke said. "He is Orochimaru's main underling. It's possible he learned Reanimation from him. For that, it requires live sacrifices."

Naruto shuddered. "Reanimation? Like bringing Hokage back?"

"Yes."

"And he's taking live people to do it? Sacrificing them! Why do they just let him do that?" he demanded. "This city has the power to cripple him yet they do nothing!"

"Calm down Naruto," Karin ushered. "That's why we need to find the Daimyo and have the Sound Village brought back down."

"Anyway," Suigetsu continued, "As for the head of the, erm," he made a quote, unquote symbol with his fingers, " _science division_ , I'm going to assume Noritaka's still head."

"Noritaka," Sasuke repeated, almost fondly.

"Who's that?" Naruto asked, "and what do you mean science division?"

"Main in-village site for experimentations with forbidden techniques. Oh, I mean the Sound's prison. That's its front anyway. Like I said, it serves as a dirty lab for undesirables. At least the ones not good enough to have warranted Orochimaru's direct attention which I fell under, by the way. But after Sasuke shut them down...Who knows what's happened."

"Who's its mainofficer now? " Sasuke asked. "Noritaka never handles the prisoners directly."

There was something in his voice, the way he had said it. Concern? Naruto leaned closer, sensing there was some history here.

Suigetsu grinned almost maniacally. "You're gonna love this. I hear _Tatsuo_."

Sasuke sighed. "It's fitting."

"Who's that?"

"No one."

"Fine. Don't tell me." Naruto took another gander at the notes Suigetsu and Karin had gathered on their targets.

"So the dirt bag's most likely to know anything and who need to be dealt with."

Sasuke quickly interrupted him. "Suigetsu will take care of the rings, Sachihiro and Natsuko. Unlike us, he can't stay in the village overnight. But we will in Daichi and Akira's apartment. There, we'll stick to finding the Daimyo. Once we have him, we'll have the ability to deal with the Science Division. Right now we don't have the power."

"And Karin?" Naruto asked.

"I'll remain on the outskirts with Suigetsu and stay on the lookout for the return of the real Daichi and Akira."

"Who?" Naruto asked. Karin rolled her eyes. "Look, unlike me and Suigetsu, you're borrowing their identities because I know their chakra enough to match yours to theirs and because they aren't around. We can't have four or even just two strangers show up all at the same time for a long period of time. And if we're not done when they return from their mission or vacation or whatever, I'll know, and alert you two. You'd need to pull back immediately."

Sasuke's voice became gravely serious. "We cannot expose ourselves here." His tone was almost a threat. He was staring at Naruto coldly. "Do you understand? None of us can be exposed or the mission's over."

Naruto didn't have to ask why. Except for him, all three had a history with Orochimaru. His student, his prisoner, and a guard head with the ability to heal others upon the consumption of her chakra. All the Taka could easily be apprehended and treated as traitors. Then there was him. He wasn't just an outsider. He was the host to one of the greatest tailed beast, and like he had said to the group about the Sound's Daimyo, he was also a political tool. A Jinchuuriki.

"Swear to me," Sasuke said, "that no matter what, you will not for any reason drop the identity as Daichi for as long as we are here."

"Of course, I swear."

"You will not mess with your chakra levels either, or it'll no longer match his levels," Sasuke continued. "Do you understand? This means you will continue to dam up the Kyuubi's as well."

"Yes. I won't do anything to rouse suspicion."

Damming up the Kyuubi's chakra to cloak it hadn't been fun for anyone involved but it had been worth it. Even a sensory would not recognize him from its chakra.

"Good." Sasuke threw a huge file at him that had been sitting on the table to the side. "Now study up on Akira and Daichi again. You need to know them better than you know yourself."

The file had been put together by both Karin and Sasuke who unlike Karin, had actually met the close friends once. They were just one of Orochimaru's soldiers. Which didn't mean much in the Sound when most of the people had close ties to him having come together _for_ him. Just one magnet of power...

 _Study again_? Naruto already had, but of course, it wasn't good enough. Grumbling, he took the file and threw it in his backpack.

"We head to their apartment in thirty," Sasuke said before going to retrieve his own pack. It would be an hour trip with no stops. Meaning Naruto would need to relieve himself now instead of later.

Naruto headed for the bathroom. Opening the door, he stepped in, took one look, and walked right out, closing the door behind him.

He approached Suigetsu who was sitting to the side, fidgeting with the baseball cap Karin had insisted he wear even outside the village. His hair had been scooped up into it to hide the bright locks so you could actually see all of his face for once. He had fake dentures on to hide his filed teeth and dark brown contacts. He looked like a typical Joe.

But he was anything but a typical guy.

Seeing Naruto stare at him, he mumbled, "What, little _Akira_?"

"Suigetsu," he said. "Why is there a naked man tied up in the tub?"


	9. For the Foreseeable Future

Can I be honest with you? About some **cancellations**?

Around 2013 I had a bunch of fics I just stopped working on. I want to continue them, but I just don't.

I'm afraid I've come to that point again. I feel like I have been at that point for a while but I don't want to be, so I fight and I _fight_ it but...well, the months between updates have spoken for themselves.

If you're reading this then you are reading one to three of my stories that I've decided to be honest about and **cancel for the foreseeable future** :

 **The Dream**

 **The Game Called Shogi**

 **To Start a War**

The last two have one thing in common. They're linked to that 2013 splurge. I was discovering Naruto pretty fast, getting into its arcs in a shorter period of time than most long-term fans. But those days of excitement and freshness are over. Especially in regards to those two stories.

The core of both of them is _A Game of Shogi_ which I had started back then. It's been a long time and I've grown since then, degressed a bit on other ends but all in all...

I'm just done and ready to move on to other stories. And even that's hard to say with my lack of updates on even newer fics.

But I still want to aim for them at the very least, especially with a Boruto anime series just on the horizon at the close of Shippuden in April.

And not only that, like my latest _It's the Fear_ , I've begun to aim for 4-5 chapters per stories. Going past that is just asking too much for me at this point in my life and at this point in the fandom.

Naruto is over. The next generation isn't. I hope to play with them some more in stories like _Indomitable_ which I've been excited about for months but yet haven't finished the first chapter.

Again, that speaks to my lack of drive.

Listen, I'm sorry the most about _To Start a War_ , and within the next six months or so, if I'm unable to get some inspiration for it again, I will post the plotline and its end for you guys at the very least. There's this fanfic I loved, was a huge source of inspiration, that got _so_ close to the end but wasn't ever finished (Daybreak, and yes its SasuNaru but I still liked it) and it just KILLS me, even all these years later. **I don't want to do that to you guys.** **So I will post what happens at the very least**.

Again, I'm sorry to do this. I'll still try but that is no longer good enough and I want to be honest about that.

 **If you'd like to know what I'm ever working on or what I think will be updated next, please check out my profile. I will continually keep that up to date.**

Finally, _Menma's Story_ is not on the list. Why? I don't know. It just made it as did _DruuunK Daddie$_ and my recent stories which honestly.. _.If She Had Screamed_ is a toughie...Might put it on the canceled, or rather hiatus list too.

I don't plan for crap like this to happen. It just does. It did. I've learned to keep to five chapters or so from now on.

I love you guys and I'm sorry. It's just the way it is. I will keep updating, it's just least likely to be the aforementioned.

As of now, here's what the list on my profile looks like:

 **PROGRESS STATUS** (in order of priority):

 **NARUTO FICS**

 **Seven Devils** : The First (of Seven) (no chapter of this will be posted until I finish entire story beforehand)

 **Song to the Siren:** Part 1: The Oracle

 **Indomitable Chapter 1:** Meet the Konoha Torture and Interrogation Force!

 **If She Had Screamed** Part 2: Kakashi and Babysitting Don't Mix (Title not final)

 **Menma's Story** (A revamp and purging of Menma: Runaway) Chapter 1: The Planting of Seeds

 **The Game Called** **Shogi** Turn 8: The Clock is Ticking

 **DruuunK D &ddieS: **Ransom

 **To Start a War Episode 3:** Welcome to the Sound

 **The Dream** Part 6 Sweet Dreams

* * *

 **BATMAN FICS:**

 **Baptism of Acid** (A Harley X Bruce one-shot)


	10. The Rest of the Sound Arc

_**THIS IS PLANS FOR THE REST OF MY STORY, IN CASE I DON'T FINISH IT. DO NOT READ IT IF YOU CARE ABOUT WAITING-WHICH I REALLY WOULDN'T RECOMMEND.**_

 _ **Again, I'm doing this because I don't think I'll finish and I know that sucks but at least this way you know the gist of my story and where I was wanting to go.**_

 _ **The Rest of the Story...Part 1: Welcome to the Sound Arc.**_

 _(AN: A lot of this was written out already, some scenes many months prior to the latest chapters when I had expanded this episode into more of an arc and gave Suigetsu a small role with Karin because of the recent addition of another character into the mix. She was added in last minute for Sasuke and her own development. It was supposed to be a surprise reveal too. Whoops. Anyway, a lot of the next chapter was written too, but I never finished it because I was wrestling and wrestling with it so here is the majority. Some things have been omitted from the draft._

 _Finally, I have a confession. So towards the end, there is some role reversal I just had to do, because of the original story to this...So...Yeah, I ain't taken it back. He needed it.)_

Music: Brain by Banks

* * *

 **PREVIOUSLY:**

 **The Taka reaches the Sound Village and initiates the first stage of their plan: Recon. With Sasuke and Naruto taking on the identities of two of the Sound's ninja, Suigetsu and Karin are left to wander under their own disguises. But first, Suigetsu takes care of some...personal business.**

 _Naruto headed for the bathroom. Opening the door, he stepped in, took one look, and walked right out, closing the door behind him._

 _He approached Suigetsu who was sitting to the side, fidgeting with a baseball cap._

 _"Suigetsu," Naruto said. "Why is there a naked man tied up in the tub?"_

* * *

 **TO START A WAR**

 **BOOK I of III: ART OF WAR**

* * *

Suigetsu smiled coyly at Naruto's inquiry before shrugging his shoulders in a too innocent way. "Where do you think I got my information?"

Naruto stared at him disbelievingly before turning on his heels, making way for the bathroom again. He brandished a knife, assumably to cut the ropes. Cursing, Suigetsu jumped from the couch and ran in front of Naruto, blocking the door. "He's mine!"

From the gag, the man whimpered in terror, twisting at the hogtie. Besides being in a humiliating position, he was laying in a what was a _damp_ tub, leading Naruto to deduce that Suigetsu had turned the faucet to threaten him.

"Dude!" Naruto screeched, trying to push him to the side. "We don't take prisoners! Now put the guy back where you got him!"

The struggle was brief, not really forceful, but in an annoyed insistence. Naruto was angrier than Suigetsu thought he'd be, made vividly clear by how a vein was practically visible on his forehead. Suigetsu glared just as relentlessly before he gave a sigh and threw up his hands. "Fine. I'll put him back."

Naruto's eyes remained narrowed for a moment before he softened his stance. "Good. He's gone before we get back."

Friggin' predictable. Suigetsu hid a smile. "Done."

Only after Naruto turned his back did Suigetsu turn to give the man a gloat-filled grin. Of course, he wouldn't just let this man waltz free. Not because the scumbag still knew things about the Sound that they needed to know, no. This was purely personal. This was a man he was going to _kill_. Why? Because he-

He was that bolt of lightning that had screwed everything up. Yes, Suigetsu nodded at this thought before setting himself on the edge of the tub. Reflecting on his next choice of action. Naruto and Sasuke would leave for the Sound Village again very soon and neither would be around to interfere. Not that Sasuke would. Scratch that, Sasuke would only because this man wasn't who Suigetsu was supposed to kill, the targets he was supposed to kill were back in the Sound, where he should be too.

Yes, the Sound. It had been a very long time since Suigetsu had last stepped foot here. Going through the Sound today really took him back. There was something about it, like new money. This feeling, approaching the border, had never changed...

_-xXx-_

 **EPISODE 3.2: Welcome to the Sound:**

 **The Revenge of the Swordsman**

_-xXx-_

Suigetsu whistled, taking in what was practically the vestibule of the village and its center core. There was a hustle all about that possessed its residents and patrons, farmers and military interacting together, some in shadow. The buildings were mostly comprised of traditional houses and business places. To the right, small ways off was a traditional rice mill, made of wood, stone, and concrete, contrasting to the miles of rice fields the Taka had traversed to get here. The many hills, the water. In the Land of Sound nature was in plenty but stamped over by ninja sandals.

Suigetsu took a deep breath and disappeared in the throng, overly conscious for only a moment, in fear of recognition. Reassurance webbed through him, counteracting his fear as he remembered how Karin had helped put together a convincing disguise. His had been much easier to conjure than tampering with Naruto and Sasuke's chakra. That had left her exhausted, enough so that she would venture to the village later than all of them. Unlike him, those two had traits no guise could hide. Sucking their chakra to match the two residents' had tired her more than filled. Sasuke in particular...Suigetsu remembered poking at the then tired Karin, he really shouldn't have-"Get to put your hands all over Sasuke, huh? Find his nuts yet-" "SHUT. UP."

After their awkward silence, not just with Suigetsu but with Sasuke, she moved to Naruto for the last step: the Kyuubi's chakra. He could still see Karin, hand pressed to Naruto's stomach, sweating. Him trying to assure her that the legendary Kyuubi and he were best buddies now and it wouldn't hurt her with its chakra.

Hear Naruto after it, screaming "I want a jacket!" and her equally screamed reply "It goes against their dress preferences!" as she threw a military patterned vest at him. The closest he got to his desired sleeves was some linen, wrapped around his forearms. Suigetsu snickered just thinking about the sight of Naruto dressed as some baddie but stopped when he realized he had caught the attention of a pedestrian walking through the streets as he.

"Hey," he said to the man. He was dressed in a traditional attire and was a bit overweight. No band with the Sound symbol anywhere. Suigetsu was safe to assume he could talk to him. Probably just one of the pedestrians and not one of the power hungry ninja that had made the Sound their home.

The man stopped. Hm. "I'm new to here. Came for work and sake," Suigetsu said, holding up a map for effect. "But first I was looking to, you know, get some."

The man stared at him.

Oh crap. Wrong guy to ask-

"The east side of town. I recommend the Rei Onsen."

Nevermind. This guy was good. A good pervert. Suigetsu said his thanks and changed his direction and began heading eastward.

Onsen? Obviously a front. A bit on the nose. But who in the upper echelons of the ladder actually cared? They no doubt _frequented_ it. He hoped a certain lowlife did too...

"You know," Suigetsu said, back in their inn room outside the Sound Village. Below him, his captive went dead silence. A bead of sweat dripped down the side of his face. That or a tear. "Part of me expected to find you in the bathhouse, sitting there in your naked...pettiness." He tilted his head, taking his hat off. His white hair fell down and he shook his head so his hair would fall to its usual style. The man watched stiffly.

"I don't know what your deal is," the captive spat. "But you're gonna let me go, now!"

Suigetsu's lips cracked in a grin. His hand wrapped around on the knob, threateningly. "You're in no position to make demands, buddy. Although..." His hand dropped and reached to the side of the tube instead. "This is really my preference." Silver flashed. A blade. The man grimaced.

"You're nuts!"

"I'm nuts? Let me ask you something buddy. Do you even know who I am?"

By the look on his face, he didn't. This was just some random attack. Something in Suigetsu's gut darkened, his grip on the blade tightened.

"I went through some trouble to find you...And you don't even remember me, do you?"

 _So he was really back in the Sound, the place he should have avoided like the plague..._

Suigetsu grinned, the smile feral as sounds of the Sound washed through him. The familiar screams. The laughter. It was a mess. A mess that was close to the blood soaked land that had raised him.

"Time for some fun."

It hadn't taken long to reach the red light district. Music carried on as did shouts of pain and pleasure. Yips and whoops. Suigetsu soon found the inn near the bathhouse and springs. Inside, lights glistened from the gold decor. The seats were made of rich crimson velvet. It was a beautiful place with ugly intentions. A gaudily dressed woman greeted him. Natsuko. He knew her by name because she had once tried to seduce him with the intention of breeding. Orochimaru's idea. Needless to say, Suigetsu hadn't bitten.

She was a beauty but very vain. She made Karin look humble in comparison. Suigetsu had to hold his breath from all the perfume that wafted from her, afraid he'd choke on it. Or worse yet, taste it. Yick. He slipped some money across the counter.

"I could use a...night. Just that, no more."

Natsuko smiled. She leaned on the counter, staring at him with a measuring look. Reading for his type he supposed. "I think I have a special one for you."

"Oh?"

"You're small but I can tell you're a fighter type. Not quite as old or big as some of our other patrons. Yes, I'll give you our most special one..."

Suigetsu nodded. "Alright."

Natsuko pulled out a clipboard. "Hmm...That one is still new."

Oh.

"It'll cost more."

Suigetsu fought back a frown and pulled an extra wad out from his pocket.

* * *

The room was lavish. And had been utterly expensive.

He glanced at some of the mounted paintings, featuring a plethora of naked gods, grumbling under his breath. Maybe he should have gone another path with this. But upon seeing his purchase those thoughts soon faded.

She was brought in by a big man and soon left after the guy had given Suigetsu a toothy grin.

"Enjoy."

The smile made Suigetsu's skin crawl but it lasted only a second before the "escort" left.

When Natsuko had said "new", he'd figured the poor thing to be in her teenage years at least, but what stood before him now was a pitiable child, dressed in geisha attire and wearing thick makeup.

"Just lovely," he muttered, annoyed. "This won't do."

Her shoulders quivered as she stood there, face pointed at the floor.

Suigetsu kneeled in front of her. "Hey, kiddo."

She closed her eyes, wincing.

He frowned, noticing red marks around her wrists. He softened his voice. "I got some clothes here." It was a simple T-shirt and pair of sweats. He'd gotten them from a laundry pile outside one of the rooms. "They might be big but they're better than that crap you've got now. Get dressed in them, okay?"

She stared at him skeptically before nodding her head timidly. She reached for her dress and began undoing the sash.

He jerked around before she could strip herself of her garment. "Get dressed in the bathroom!" he exclaimed.

While he waited outside, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed he added: "And wash that crap off your face."

A timid and confused "Okay..." slid out.

Suigetsu shook his head, closing his eyes until she knocked on the door, signaling she was done.

Coming out in the covering clothes, she shuffled nervously to the bed before sitting on it. "This better?" she asked, voice broken. "Anything else?"

Suigetsu started laughing. "Kiddo, I'm not taking you to bed, I'm taking you out of here. Come on."

She stared at him in disbelief. "What?"

He looked down at her, smiling.

"I just wanted to ask some questions to a local, figured I could do some good on the side."

"Why? Why come here?"

Suigetsu glanced at the window sighing. "Because I know how it feels to be someone's bitch. Crap, I mean dog."

She smiled. "You can say bitch. They call me that all the time."

Something in him twisted but he took a deep breath and threw a hat on her head. "Well, you're my kid now."

They reached a local restaurant, quiet and nearly empty. Perfect. He began the questions Sasuke expected him to find the answers to. She was younger than he wanted, but still, she knew numerous of the answers. Afterall, whores were the eyes that witnessed the world at its truest. She just happened to know that and more. It just cost all the money he had.

"Suigetsu, you can't do this."

He nearly jumped at the sound of her voice. Unlike Naruto and Sasuke, she had been assigned to stay here. And here she was. He had felt her lingering but had thought she wouldn't interfere. She hadn't earlier when they had met up...

He had run into Karin in the same restaurant he had taken the girl, although he had to rub his eyes a few times to make sure what he was seeing was right. Her hair had been done up and she wore a short black dress. Big hoops dangled from her ears, although she still had to wear long sleeves to hide her scars.

"What the heck happened to you?" Suigetsu guffawed from his seat.

Her face went beet red. "I'm working, idiot!"

A small voice came from beside her teammate in the booth. "She must be new, I don't recognize her."

Karin's eyes narrowed at the small frame.

"Who's that boy, fishhead?"

Suigetsu grinned. "This is my kid I adopted earlier today."

Karin stared at him, not amused.

"Okay," he admitted. "I'm borrowing her for the time being. Asking her some questions, because, you know, us being, um, _tourists_."

The girl, Usagi, had actually wanted to cut her hair short. Said they pulled it all the time so she didn't care if hacking it all off made her look male. That was a good thing anyways. Suigetsu then told her about his certain friend he suspected had his hair cut because it got yanked a few times while under captivity. Although their situations had been vastly different.

Karin's demeanor completely changed. "You mean..."

Suigetsu nodded. Biting her lip, Karin sat down beside the girl. "Do you have a family you could go to?"

Usagi glanced down. "My daddy is dead and my mommy left me. So I live at the brothel now."

There was a sheer look of pity that had come over Karin as Usagi shook her head.

"I've been by myself for awhile."

. "Do you have grandparents?"

Surprisingly, Usagi nodded. "She lives outside the city. I know the address but I don't know how to get there. But Big Brother promised he'd help me get there after I tell him about my pimps."

Karin smiled weakly. "That was awful nice of him."

Usagi grinned widely before going back to her plate which she continued to plow through as if there was no tomorrow. Swallowing a mouthful down she glanced to her savior. "And about the Lightning User...I think I've seen someone by the description you gave me."

At this, Karin's brow arched. "Lightning user?"

Usagi nodded. "He doesn't go to the onsen, but I always see him across the street, at the Coliseum"

A dark look came over Suigetsu. "That ring huh?"

"Yeah, it's where the ninja duke it out. With it right across the street, we get a lot of business and I don't like them at all. They're the worst, the fighters."

Karin smiled grimly at her explanation before looking at Suigetsu. "Um, Brother, why are you looking for a lightning user? Are you looking for a...sparring partner?"

"Yeah...Something like that."

Karin knew him too much. More than Naruto or Sasuke ever could. And Suigetsu hated it. Hated that she'd actually went with him to the coliseum. Hated her expression as he showed off and came to the top of the bracket, its fighter the Lightning User. Hated how she knew what he was to Suigetsu.

"Sui," she began, entering in the bathroom now. "You can't..."

"I'm not doing my job," he said stoically. "He heard Naruto blabbing on in there about the mission. He knows too much. Whoops, I just said his name." He laughed. "He _definitely_ has to go now."

"You're lying," she spat. "This is about you _venting_."

He glared at her.

She would probably start trying to talk him out of it, playing "shrink".

This wasn't about Orochimaru, this was because this guy was a jerk. Suigetsu told her this. And she saw right through it.

"This," she said, "is not about him."

Him.

In crystal clear detail, his thoughts raced to way back when in vivid detail still...:

 _Shouts of praise rang out, the excitement in the air tangible. He was cool, confident, and victor. A name was being made for himself, just as he had planned._

 _He was outside a field reserved for training when he caught sight of the dark eyes for the first time. He would never forget its smile, the way the beast looked at him from snake-like eyes._

" _That match was quite spectacular," he said, his voice sounding more like a hiss from a snake. If a voice could emit poison, Suigetsu felt the man's could with just a single word. Like the coil of a predator's tail, he had him. Didn't even notice how the spectators from the match had drifted away. "Tell me, are you of the Hozuki clan? Rumor is you're the second coming of the Demon."_

 _Suigetsu held back a grimace and instead smiled at the compliment. "I am a Hozuki, the last one around. Name's Suigetsu."_

 _His lips curled in a gleaming smile. "My name is Orochimaru, I'm glad I just happened to chance upon you. See, I'm looking for someone to work for me, taking care of certain business..."_

 _Getting the gist, Suigetsu shrugged him off. "I'm a solo guy, alright. I work for myself. You'll have to find someone else. Kay?" He walked right off._

 _Orochimaru was displeased with his answer, to say the least._

 _So when a lightning style user approached him later that night, it shouldn't have surprised Suigetsu. The funny thing? He could hear Mangetsu in his head, being collected like he always was. Telling him to not to dance around in such unnecessary fights. You fight for your goal and this was just pointless, he should leave. But he hadn't because of pride. His pride told him he could take on anyone. He was the freaking second coming of the demon. Who was this guy? Some Sound grunt?_

 _It was something he would regret for the rest of his life. Still, he could remember the consequences of that fight vividly as his brother's death. It came in painful flashes of white. Cackles of delight from a big guy who was confident as he was skilled with his jutsu._

 _Lightning was the last thing he remembered before he was consumed by it._

 _Suigetsu jolted to consciousness, gasping. He felt an overwhelming sense of bareness and pain. Upon being roused further, he attempted to get up from his cold bed but his limbs were stopped short. A sense of panic shot through him like a bomb, filling him as he took in his position. He had been stripped of not only his gear but his clothes. This would not have been too bad if he didn't find himself strapped to a table like a lab rat as well._

" _Crap!" He began struggling against the straps around his limbs and chest until his muscles strained. "Ugh!"_

 _He fought for what felt like an hour, cursing like a sailor the entire time, when a threatening aura engulfed the room. A figure came into his peripheral vision, dark and sick. Their face, pale undeath dark locks. Cruel measuring eyes. Orochimaru. The Snake._

 _Suigetsu grit his teeth. "Listen, sicko, I told you no. Now undo the straps-NOW!"_

 _Orochimaru pulled a syringe out, his face the picture of disinterest. He remembered saying some kind of wisecrack next. But it faded with just a look at his captor and the snake protruding from his sleeve. His voice, on the verge of insanity. Pleased sounding. "You will not speak to me in such a tone again, understand?"_

 _Suigetsu yanked against the straps one last time before he attempted to liquefy himself. His chakra felt gunked up but that wasn't going to stop him. He was getting out of this place._

 _Fangs sunk into him. Suigetsu grimaced as whatever venom it had spread through his body. His body quivered, feeling heavy. Beads of sweat dotted his forehead as all he knew was fear. Pure helplessness._

 _A needle went in. It would be the first of many before Orochimaru would eventually move on to his next spectacular pet._

 _After that, a tank became his prison._

 _Very rarely was he let out, and most of the time when he was it was under Orochimaru's direct supervision. One time he was taken into a large room and forced to fight a man named Juugo. But this guy was like him, a freak of nature, one who if Suigetsu didn't have his abilities he would have died for sure. Only later would he catch the name of the strange powers the berserker possessed._

 _Juugo wasn't the only one he had met. Karin, she'd guarded him a few times, analyzed his health in the tank, and then there was Orochimaru's most prized and specialist pet of all: Sasuke. He was young like Suigetsu, but not a freak of nature. No, he was just a trophy. A clan child, one which kept the Snake happy and out of Suigetsu's sight for years._

 _But the "research" never ended. Experiments were still conducted. For Suigetsu it became periodic. For others...daily until the point of death. In his time in the tank, Suigetsu saw many prisoners and freaks come and go. Most left to death after having their bodies mutilated for his research._

 _It was this that caused Suigetsu to considered himself lucky. He would eventually leave this place, this was a truth they couldn't take from him. Someone would eventually get to Orochimaru. He just had to wait. And it did happen. Sasuke happened._

Taka happened. Days of egging Karin on for fun. Then Naruto, he was a fun partner, albeit too soft.

But still, that did not change the fact that his life had gotten screwed up. It was the Lightning User's fault. _All_ of it.

Karin sat beside him. "You say all of it was his fault, but what were you doing there, in that ring in the first place?"

Suigetsu looked down, staring at his reflection in the water.

"Suigetsu," she whispered. "You were lost before you were even captured."

There was a long pause, Suigetsu frozen at her words.

He finally glared at her, his eyes angry.

"He dies," he growled.

"You can't do this!" Karin's protests fell on deaf ears.

Moans sounded from the man as struggled against the hogtie.

Seeing the pitiable site, something in Karin just sank.

"I was your jailor too at one point! You going to kill me too!?"

Suigetsu stopped short. "You're _different_."

"Oh yeah," she snapped. "How so?"

Suigetsu stuttered momentarily before he ripped a knife out, swinging it in the air and pointing it at her. "You were just doing your job. Him? He was doing it for fun! He's just a lowlife bug. No one will even remember him."

"Suigetsu," she began slowly. He looked different. On the verge of emotions she was scared to see him go through. "This won't take back those years."

"I know that! I'm not Sasuke, okay, I don't think about revenge night and day, but you know what, Karin? I'm also not Naruto. I'm not some boy scout from Konoha! I'm a swordsman from the Mist. I cut people down, okay! That's what I do, and now I'm going to cut down the guy who wasted so much of my time!"

"Dang it!" she screamed, stamping her foot. "This isn't about that! And you know it isn't! Just admit it and process it like a freaking human for once!"

He slammed the knife down. There were a few seconds of spasming before the man went limp. Suigetsu watched, the smiled dropped as did his shoulders.

That was it.

Done.

Suigetsu's head dropped down, his bangs covering his face. Without a word, he turned the faucet on to wash the blood down.

There was the slightest tremble of his shoulders as he collapsed to his knees and sat on his legs, facing the tub and victim. It was a long time before he spoke. And when he did, it sounded full of remorse. "I'll never know who took him away...I-I loved him and...I can't even do that...I couldn't save him."

Karin kneeled beside him, taking his hand. Words were lost to her.

Finally, he glanced at her. "It comes so quick...I just...I never want to be on the other end again. And Kabuto...He still has _him_. He can summon him anytime and I don't think I can...I can't put him on the other end of the sword again. He's not some dirtbag, some target...He was the _only_ family I had."

The thing about losing you only kin? It leaves you vulnerable in a way you've never been before.

Of course, Suigetsu wouldn't acknowledge this. When his brother was killed, his sword taken Suigetsu had fled from the Mist. He would tell the group that he had left because there was simply nothing there binding him anymore, not without his brother, but deep down he knew the truth. Remembered it right down to the crisp details.

The grass, sharp against his feet as he ran, his breath racing, his heart throbbing. His thoughts whirling. _You can't trust them. You can't trust them._

 _He was laying there, in a puddle of blood and water, his skin already cold with death._

" _Brother?"_

It was speculation but the only people the younger Suigetsu could conceive killing his brother were the Seven themselves. They had killed him, one of their own members, because he could wield all seven of the unique blades.

 _Fear._

So Suigetsu started running. He didn't even stop to pack, everything he needed was on him. The clothes on his back, a wad of Ryo in his pocket and a sword on his hip. There was no one alive to say goodbyes to. No, the only one worth a goodbye was laying on the ground, stripped of his life and sword...Suigetsu wouldn't stop running until he was far from the Mist. This would make him a Rogue, but like he cared.

He continued on, cutting his way through the ninja patrolling the borders of the Mist. His heart pounded as he slashed through them, their blood spraying into the air before raining into the sea. Misting it.

He fell then, catching his breath, and watched as the water darkened.

Life was starting to feel so much more fragile than he'd ever stopped to think about now that he was on the other end of the sword. Now that his brother had faced a fate he and Suigetsu had dished out so many times without thought or care. His arms wrapped around himself as he rocked slightly.

Where would he go? What would he do? Suigetsu stared into his reflection on the water. It was canny, the resemblances he shared with his brother. Suigetsu's sight blurred and he wiped his eyes, sucking in a breath. What was wrong with him?

Taking a deep breath, he stood and started walking. Zoning out to his thoughts.

It was a kill or be killed world. Mangetsu and he had tried being apart of the Seven, it was practically their destiny to fall into place as one of its members, Mangetsu actually had and Suigetsu was supposed to fall in when one of the members met their fate...But now, those dreams had bled out. The Hozuki clan had become a target of the Seven.

Suigetsu stopped walking, the skin between his eyebrows bunched up. He knew what his new path was now. The Hozuki clan would target the Seven. He would take their swords and become the leader instead. It would take time but he swore he was going to take every single blade. And the life of their owners...

Starting with the man who took his brother's life and blade.

He would need to grow stronger, though, fight and let his name be known. And he did so, recklessly. With his ego bloated he went out, seeking fights. He tore people apart with his talents and when he'd picked a fight with someone who was above him, his abilities kept him from getting beat into a bloody pulp. He soon caught the attention he craved.

And didn't.

His life had changed. He was never going to get it back. It was this that...That scared him.

"I'll do it for you," she whispered.

He made a soft scoff sound. "You?"

"Yeah. I still have a few tricks up my sleeves you've not seen."

His spirit raised just a bit with a soft smile.

"Hey, Sui," she whispered.

"Huh?"

"I'll get rid of the body for you."

He almost laughed and instead settled for a smile as he looked at her.

"I lo-"

"Go on and head out. Take the real targets down."

He took a deep breath. "I love being _just_ a _swordsman_. Right."

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

* * *

While Sasuke and Naruto look for the whereabouts **of the Daimyo, they only learn his fortress-like castle has been taken over and is now the Sound village's headquarters. The castle of which is heavily fortified.**

 **RECON begins! Suigetsu desires to remain on watch outside while they do so. They learn the names of the head of each division and the need to bring them down. But each is secured within the castle's outside walls where those of higher standing live. They will need to become operatives to gain access to them, rather than just walk around as disguised citizens. They also get the chance to witness the lower two underbosses in the field and in business, the drugs and abuse the man dishes out and the crudeness of the money head. Even Naruto wants to take them down but they must wait for time to do so.**

 **Karin gives them ones and matches their chakra, and tells them she will remain on outside where she can better sense the real one's who are most likely gone on a mission and take them down if they attempt to come back to the village.**

 **Suigetsu is charged to find opportunities to find and take out Farming Division's: Sachihiro and Business: Natsuko.**

 **Naruto and Sasuke will want access to the head of Research but have no clue that what they suspect to be some Kabuto-like sicko is really a young prodigy Naoko with her firm elder brother Taichi. Naruto had figured they would be the worse but is horrified to realize Naoko is just a young girl being used by the Sound on lies and feels trapped. Her brother can only give in out of his love for his younger sister, hating it all the while.**

 **They fail to get any further into the castle without causing suspicion.**

 **This doesn't matter when Tatsuo catches sight of them. Turns out the two they are impersonating were gone because he had killed them.**

 **Later, they come to their apartment only to be attacked by Sound military.**

Naruto threw up his hands. "I'm tellin ya, this is some mistake!"

He was shoved face - first into the wall. He groaned, feeling his hands pushed together behind his back. "I'm a freaking citizen of the Sound! You're intruding on my space!"

Slams and crashes sounded as they began to tear apart the room. His face became a deathly pale. These guys were utterly serious. This wasn't some surprise search. No. There was a tangible cause for suspicion...One of which was a radio that was in his ear and the man holding him against the wall picked it out, holding it for the other men to see.

"Ah crap."

The only thing he knew was the pain of a boot crashing into the back of his legs and the stench of dirt as a black bag was thrown over his head.

* * *

 **He wakes up briefly, strapped to a table, with Naoko hovering over him. She is siphoning his chakra, reporting to a shadow out of his sight that his amounts are unnaturally outstanding...When the man leaves, she continues to take some of his DNA, by then he's awake enough to talk to her groggily, telling her she doesn't have to do this.** **She can stop and flee right now. She shakes her head, eyes filled with fear. "I'm so sorry." Another shot is administered and he is passing out.**

 **Suigetsu finished on his end, checks in with Karin only to realize something must have gone wrong because Naruto and Sasuke are still gone. They had predicted the operation might take a few days but Karin senses their chakra at too still a state and their radios dangerously quiet.**

 **Naruto awakens to find both he and Sasuke in a dungeon. And just as he's about to let Kurama's chakra break through the chakra suppressors binding them, an utterly cool and nonchalant Sasuke tells him that if they play along they might be taken to the head man they've been trying to reach for days and to not end their transformation no matter what happens. He warns him they will be treated like spies and be tortured for information. He would know having visited this place before, doing errands for Orochimaru.**

 **Naruto and Sasuke even have a brief moment, but not before Sasuke catches a guard make a comment about Naruto's arm which causes him to shell up. That the spy is either into self-mutilation or has an interesting history...**

He shifted, wrist stinging. Ugh. It was hot.

It was silent for awhile as Naruto tried to catch his breath. Once he had silenced, he titled his head to Sasuke, his voice quiet from the previous strain.

"So...How long you've been here?"

"A few hours."

"What?! Howdja get them to...quit so early?"

Sasuke smirked, the smile almost pleasantly amused. "I don't have your mouth."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. You probably just lost consciousness or whatever...Speaking of which, it's freaking hot!"

"Temperature control. Heat to generate frustration and eventual distance from the other party. Aided by sleep deprivation, lack of nourishment and medical-"

"Stop talking please."

It was quiet, as they stood there. Time crawled.

Naruto released a long sigh, leaning his head back. "Hey... _Raiden_. What's the gameplay?"

Sasuke shifted. "Wait for an opportune moment...But whatever you do-"

"I know, I know. Don't break the transformation...Even though they clearly know we're not from...Well, you know."

 _Here._

"They don't know that."

"This isn't your first time under questioning," Sasuke commented, shifting a bit.

Naruto leaned his head back. "Nah, first time was a couple of weeks ago..."

"When you went back to Konoha."

It was quiet. He had probably nodded.

"This is different, though," he breathed. "I mean...Ibiki takes a physiological approach. These guys are obviously about pain. Not to mention rather than being in trouble for not turning a certain-ahem-jerk in, it's because we're spies...Which are we?"

"No."

"Ah."

"Hey, Sasuke?"

"Hnh?"

"If we ever get out of this-"

"Shut up."

It was quiet for a long time, no sound but the slight clink of metal. Then it came.

"This isn't your first time down in this room, is it?"

"No."

"I thought so..."

He could almost see the ghost of Sasuke. Torturing someone for whatever purpose, his face that impulsive shell.

Just who had he become while here? While under Orochimaru's influence?

His forearm pulsed with heat and his head dropped down, his teeth gritted.

He could feel Sasuke shift, trying to look back at him. "What?"

Naruto shook his head, shifting away from Sasuke as much as the chains allowed. His right fist curling.

"It just hurts," he whispered. "But I'm fine."

Sasuke opened his mouth to speak, he had his own questions but the silence won and the rest of the night was spent in its pained embrace.

 _Self-mutilation or an interesting history..._

Some time later, he could no longer bear the quiet because he began talking and he didn't stop.

Sasuke listened silently, realizing Naruto was letting himself slip.

"Those two weeks ago, I was couldn't help myself. For the first time, someone was there, I gave in. I needed to. Then I came back home to speak with Danzo. I even got to see my new apartment. I jumped on the bed but I didn't get to sleep cause Yamato said he was ready to see me. Seeing everyone else...however brief, it felt like I was home. I mean...being a prisoner, it sucks, makes you homesick. But they talked real nice to me, checked me over, fed me some great ramen..."

"So when were you arrested?"

He'd been stalling on that with the good babbles Sasuke knew.

Naruto's head dropped further. "Danzo. He asked about you."

Naruto could still feel his skin prickle, his heart stop beating at the sudden shift. And he knew his joyous time of homecoming was now over. He'd never sleep in his home.

" _I'm going to ask you again. Where is Uchiha Sasuke?"_

 _Naruto gaze remained fixed to the floorboards._

" _Refusing to answer is endangering this village. You will be seen as a traitor and arrested for it. We both know that isn't you, so just tell us," Yamato urged._

 _Still silence. He did not blink, nor move or make any attempt to defend himself._

 _Yamato could not hold in a regret-filled sigh._ You're just a kid...Don't throw away your future like this...

 _His telepathic prayer remained unmet and Danzo's hand went up, signaling him to act._

" _Arrest this rogue, Captain Yamato," the Hokage's voice commanded cruelly. "And as he is the Jinchuuriki you are to be placed over him. He's to be sent to Intel for further questioning."_

And just like that Uzumaki Naruto's life as a Konoha shinobi was over.

 **When the interrogating continues again (as they are first blamed for the mysterious and sudden deaths of different head operatives in practically all their trafficking fields (drugs, illegal medical goods, etc, ) that Suigetsu had taken out, then called spies and demanded to tell who they're working with) after Sasuke directs most of their attention to him to protect Naruto and attempt to protect their identities as he believes Naruto would just loose the transformation easily. Eventually, the session ends, and they are each individually taken to the prison head who is very curious as to who they originally were. (NORITAKA IS** _ **HEAVILY**_ **INSPIRED BY 1984'S O'BRIEN and I'm not even going to attempt to explain without the scenes to show the context, but trust me, this guy seems good, has his reasoning, seems reasonable, but's still on the wrong side) But seeing as how they aren't talking, he must take measures. Naruto's life is utterly threatened in Noritaka's gamble**

He could feel many sharp feet dancing around on his stomach and he again wanted to throw up, his limbs twisted hard on their restraints. Shaking violently.

But, he could handle this. "If you think you can scare me with rats, you got another thing coming!" he spat between clenched teeth, unable to fight the following grimace that came when a clawed foot scratched along his lower stomach.

Good kami, were they in a frenzy.

The man struck a match and held it closer to the bowl being held on top his bare stomach. "You see, rats are quite good at burrowing. They'll claw their way through anything to escape danger...Including flesh. Organs. It'll be quite painful, I assure you that."

If Naruto wasn't already prostrated he would have shriveled back further. "You're bluffing! You can't do that! You said I had strange chakra and if you do this, it'll kill me before you get answers!"

His breath was racing. Sweat dripped down his face.

"I am giving you one minute for either you or your buddy to make your decision. If not, the rats will ensure your death and your jutsu will end."

"You c-can't s-scare me like this!"

"Thirty seconds." The match was closer to the bowl and already he could feel the creatures beginning to panic around.

"No!"

He looked towards Sasuke in desperation. He only had his head pointed downward. Avoiding his eyes.

' _Kurama you have to-'_

 _Oh yeah._

Sage Mood it was, but that required meditation and one couldn't meditate when one was hyperventilating. Which he was, very hard.

 _He's bluffing! That's why Sasuke isn't letting go either!_

And then the bowl was lit on fire and the clawing started and any attempt to play it tough shattered as what felt like hundreds of pins began to rip his skin apart.

He screamed, thrashing against the restraints as they shredded through his skin, began eating through meat.

* * *

Suddenly the air changed and all but the screeching of the rabid rodents was dead silent. And to Naruto's belligerent praise, the man swatted the bowl away and the rats scurried with it. He lay there, wheezing, tears and sweat running down his face, his insides throbbing with pain.

These people hadn't been bluffing. Something had stopped them. But even under the stress, he hadn't broken the sealed trans-

"Whoa-ho! Look who we got here! Well, it if ain't Orochi's Lil' pet!"

The sucker punch that came knocked Sasuke into the wall, his captors just let him go and laughed to themselves. The sheer hatred they bore for him was practically palpable as they literally stepped aside to allow Sachihiro full access. And he approached happily, holding a steel rod in his hand.

"I _knew_ there was something about those eyes! And boy have they always just ticked me off."

The rod swung, slashing towards his face, barely dodged at last second but just enough that there was a flick of blood from his eyebrow.

Sasuke hissed vehemently. "You're going to regret that."

"Oh am I?"

And what came next had Naruto struggling furiously but hopelessly. "STOP IT!"

Beside him, a guard laughed briefly before turning to Noritaka.

"What do we do with this one?"

Sagely eyes took the blond in, reading him differently than before. A finger traced at his forearm.

"Whoever he is...He's important to the Uchiha...Have the medic heal and drug him until Leader is ready to meet him."

 **Naruto can only wonder if Sasuke broke the transformation because they were friends, or because he just didn't want to loose the Kyuubi?**

 **Sasuke is blindfolded and the two are separated, seemingly for good.**

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

He awoke to paralysis and a drain.

She was above him, painstakingly fighting to grab more of the Kyuubi's chakra but she collapsed backward, whimpering. "I can't do it, it's more than I can-"

 _Slap._

It was a terrible crack sound. But she remained calm and waited until the guard left the room before she let herself cry. A male, her brother came in to try to comfort her. "Just a little while longer then we can leave this place, alright?"

"I want to leave now," she cried. "Even if I die, I just don't want to do this anymore!"

"Kabuto said he'd have a treatment, we just have to wait-"

"For the next excuse! Brother, there is nothing that can heal what I have! Nothing can save me!"

"You've been listening to the spy..."

"He's right. I mean, this Friday they expect me to perform that ocular surgery and if the slightest thing goes wrong and the sharingan gets destroyed by accident...They'll kill me. Or hurt you. I can't do it! I don't want to!"

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

 **Wakes up again, this time in a prison wing.**

He was frankly disturbed. He was in a tiny cell all by himself, surrounded by cells that were jammed packed with dirty people, so full that most were standing. But this is not what disturbed him. It was the trail of blood lining the hall and the egging sense he knew exactly who it belonged to.

Thinking of their situation, how Sasuke had willingly dropped it, he could not help lean against the wall, fighting to keep any small form of optimism.

 _That's a lot of blood. So much blood. They loathe him with a passion...And he has the Sharingan-they'll rip them from him._

The team had never discussed what to do if things went wrong. Maybe Karin was right... _This is why this isn't' going to work..._

If he dropped the dam, they would know who he was and he was in a bad spot. That would make things only worse and his hands were already tied behind his back, his chakra siphoned off to a dangerously low level.

 _Why did he break it like that when he knew this would happen!?_

His sad state was broken by a small commotion. Outside one of the other cells, a guard threw a tray of food at a man who was also in a cell by himself. Naruto was instantly curious why they had him separated from the other prisoners like he was.

"Your _Highness_ ," the guard mocked as the poor man shuddered back. Another guard laughed. "You're lucky we need you to sign things for the new man, else we could have more kinds of fun with you."

 _Wait a minute...Is this the Daimyo?_

After the guards left, Naruto raised his voice. "You the Daimyo?"

He seemed caught off guard for a moment, then glanced over. He looked like a shell of a human. Shrunken down from lack of food. "W-What's left of him."

"You're the one who let the Snake in."

He could not stop the accusation from sounding in his voice, from sounding angry. "You brought this on yourself, you know that? You deserve every bit of this."

The man looked like he was about to cry and Naruto felt a grim sense of satisfaction.

If this man hadn't looked the other way while Orochimaru grew and grew, so many things could have been prevented. He was the one who let the devil in his land and now so many were suffering for it. And so was Sasuke.

Naruto winced just thinking about Sasuke, the way the underling captain had beat him. And he knew that had just been the beginning.

' _You killed my partner you wretch!'_

Just what had Sasuke done while under Orochimaru? There was a world Sasuke had dwelt in that Naruto couldn't even fathom. So much he didn't even know, and to realize the full extent of this truth like this...

' _Kurama...What do I do? My chakra's too low still to teleport, and even if it wasn't, I need to find Sasuke and the head...And there are so many people here too.'_

_-xXx-_

He was aroused from his low state at the sound of people moving. He leaned against the bars, asking quietly to the man in the next cell "Where are they taking those people?"

The man glanced at the group sadly. "No one knows for sure but they do this periodically, they take the weaklings usually, or those who cause trouble and they never come back."

Naruto's eyes widened as a boy was brought into the line.

The man continued. "I believe they're to be used by Kabuto for whatever purposes he needs them for."

"That's just a kid...Why are they taking a kid?"

He was shaken but the other man just shook his head solemnly. "I can only believe that his suffering will be short in comparison to a life here. Sometimes I wish I was one of the chosen. Then at least I would have a purposeful existence and contribution to progress."

Now he was absolutely trembling in anger. "Do you even hear yourself!?"

The volume of his voice had risen and echoed throughout the room. Sound captives stared at him, so did the guards. One rammed the end of his spear at his cell door. Yelling "Quiet you!"

But Naruto was far from being quiet. "There are more of you guys than the guards! You're free from the cells-FIGHT BACK!"

 **Tries to encourage a revolt.**

Like a ball of snow, building size and momentum as it tumbles from a hill, so did a small flame of hope burn briefly in the eyes of the people in line. A fight began, for a moment the guards didn't seem to know how to act but only for a moment. Fists collided into weapons before a shot of a taut weapon rang out.

A crossbow gleaned from a guard's arm, and before it, the boy fell to the ground, an arrow protruding from his head.

The place became dead quiet.

A finger was pointed at Naruto. "Let the instigator take his place!"

"We cannot touch that one...But his lil friend he was chatting with will do. He's a bad influence. Outsiders always are. So see to it his hands are cut off so they can't rebel."

Naruto could do nothing but shrink back and curl up into himself.

It would have been easy to blame the girl for taking his chakra away, it would have been easy to blame the Sound, the drugs, but really the only one he could blame was himself.

The more he spoke out, the more others were hurt. No amount of speeches or bravado would change that.

After some time he scooted to the bars, getting a guard's attention. "Tell Noritaka I'm ready to talk now."

* * *

 **Naruto reveals himself and Noritaka is pleased with what he had already begun to suspect. He has Naruto drugged so he can't contact the fox.**

 **Just as Sasuke guessed Naruto is brought completely face to face with the evil head as they are now considered worth the man's time of day. The head happily figures he can make one heck of a profit off Sasuke's head and gain the Kyuubi's power from Naruto and use him to uproot Kabuto in his little power hungry game.**

 **Just as a guard prepares to cripple him as the head had commanded, him playing the captive instantly ends there, as the guards had underestimated how Naruto's chakra would fight the drug off and he breaks free and attacks, ending the head and earning utter fear from his underlings. He also encourages the others to fight back again, this time acknowledging that some may die, but how many more if they just do nothing? He has to approach it like this because of the previous samurai episode, he realizes he's not alone in his desire for peace and there's other hurting people too.**

 **Using that fear in their favor, the entire empire is undone and the people either freed and criminals imprisoned and sent to Konoha.**

 **They also free the daimyo and make it very clear that if he messes up again with people like Orochimaru they won't save him next time. His time imprisoned has made him sincerely sorry. Just in case, Naoko's brother is put in charge of him and Naruto promises Naoko he will have his friend help find a cure to her ailment.**

_-xXx-_

He had been strapped to a table, his eyelids forced open by small metal digits. Preparations for surgery were underway but Sasuke suspected he'd been left on the table for longer than needed on purpose. By now his eyes had seemed to dry after a stream of tears from the harsh strain constant exposure had put them through.

Suddenly there was a commotion, noise and the metal binding him were being ripped apart. He couldn't see who had freed him, only a blurry figure hovering over him, their words incomprehensible. He collapsed into them, his eyes closing yet still vivid with painful color. It webbed across his eyelids before fading into a deep black.

_-xXx-_

Voices stirred him.

A horrified gasp and shocked "What the heck happened!"

"They got him!" It was Naruto's voice. "And if we don't get him serious medical help I doubt he'll make it!"

"You know why we can't do that!"

An argument ensued and Sasuke realized he was back with the Taka. But that hardly was worth the thought when the pain was beginning to come again and a grim light-headedness. Sasuke drifted away into an even deeper sleep.

_-xXx-_

Warmness seemed to fill him soon after and the sleep became almost pleasant. He thought it was death but it seemed that today was not that day.

He jerked awake, fully alert and took in the situation. They had put his broken arm and leg into casts and applied damp bandages around his eyes. This he could figure out. What he could not figure out was the chakra that had healed him.

"Don't move." It was a frail tired whisper. His healer. They must have been exhausted. And to have mended what they did, as much as they did, they were good.

"Thank you," he said, sitting up. A slight sting ran along his backside. He grimaced.

"You need to lay down."

He knew that voice. But that was impossible. There was no way...

He started to push at the linens wrapped around his eyes but a soft hand grasped his wrists, stopping him.

"Your eyes can't handle the light right now."

Her voice had that distinct sound to it. The sound that belonged to someone who had just had a good cry. Something deep in him felt...

"Maybe they never could," he said.

He could feel her breath, hear her heartbeat. Hear the strain then rush. "Sasuke."

"Hn?"

Arms looped around him, careful to not touch his lacerated back.

"I know everything now."

It was simple a statement, but something about being held, her soft voice as her hair brushed against him...

"And I know what you did for Naruto. I know you did it to safeguard more than the Kyuubi."

He said nothing.

"You really love your family. But they're gone. I know I can't replace them...But I want you to know that you can rely on me at the very least. You may not be ready now but...I am."

Then, inexplicably, a soft presence met his lips. And in that moment, that weak, vulnerable moment, he surrendered.

They kissed.

"Thank you," she whispered, drawing back after the exchange. "I know that when I leave, this was just a dream, or a falsification or delirium but deep down, I think you'll know the truth. You are not gone. And until you're ready to admit that, I'll be waiting. Maybe I'm pathetic for that, but...I still love you."

Sakura left, her chakra severely drained, but her shoulders squared.

"You okay?" Naruto asked quietly.

"Tie him to the bed if you have to. He needs to heal."

Naruto laughed. "I'll try, but wouldn't you be better for that?"

"Oh shut up."

There was no dramatic punch or push, just a soft, tired smile as the blond took her hand and they left.

Off to side, Karin sat to herself, arms clutched to themselves over her stomach. Her head was pointed down, hair covering her face but the sword man did not fail to catch the tear that fell.

He handed her a blanket. "Hey," he said.

She sniffed, pushing it away, already trying to compose herself but one look at Suigetsu and she knew she couldn't.

"I can never be that," she whispered.

"Then stop trying to be."

She fell asleep leaning against him.

_-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-_

 **SOUND EPISODE OVER**

 **The arc ends with Sasuke out of commission, at least for fighting and allows Naruto to take center for a more lighter episode, with Killer B and chatting to the Raikage, the first of the five he will confront. In Part 2 I have brief notes up until we get into Song to the Siren, so hopefully I'll have it up very soon for you guys.**

* * *

TO START A WAR TABLE OF CONTENTS

 **EPISODE 0. PROLOGUE: NARUTO'S RETURN**

PART I: ART OF WAR

 **EPISODE 1. Taka's New Wings**

 **EPISODE 2. Meet the Hyuuga**

 **EPISODE 3. Welcome to the Sound**

EPISODE 4. A+B=D. (Darn Drama!)

EPISODE 5. The Ruins of Uzushiogakure

PART II: SONG TO THE SIREN

EPISODE 6. What Becomes of Snow

EPISODE 7. We Who Wander This Wasteland

EPISODE 8. I Started a Joke

EPISODE 9. A Death in the Family

EPISODE 10. APOCALYPSE

PART III: TO THE FUTURE

EPILOGUE: Hero (Tianxia)


	11. The Rest of the Art of War

_**THIS IS PLANS FOR THE REST OF MY STORY, IN CASE I DON'T FINISH IT. DO NOT READ IT IF YOU CARE ABOUT WAITING-WHICH I REALLY WOULDN'T RECOMMEND.**_

 _ **The Rest of the Story...Part 2: The Art of War.**_

 _ **(AN: Most of this is vague in comparison to the latter chunk of final part in Song To the Siren, so this would have needed more work and gives you an idea of how I plan a story before actually writing it, where it usually evolves.)**_

* * *

 _ **In the background, Hinata is constantly being nagged by this grim sense of responsibility, spawned on by this conversation she had with Konan after being introduced to her for the first time. She had seen her before but had never talked to her. With Naruto's insistence, she was finally doing the latter, a bit wearily after all that had transgressed, with Naruto being Pain's prisoner before.**_

 _The woman, Naruto called Konan. She was beautiful but very grim. There was something painful about her. She had also taken Hinata in private to speak to her and such feelings her nervous the entire time. Even scarred as the woman spoke to her._

 _"There is a time between when he left the Rain and then stayed in Konoha that is blank,' she had said. 'Was that period spent with you?'_

 _She had seen right through Hinata, and the girl could only nod nervously in response._

 _'I once was in love_ like _yourself...' she stated solemnly. 'He was going to save us...but then I was used against him.'_

 _'What happened?'_

 _'He sacrificed himself to protect me.'_

 _Hinata winced, already seeing where Konan was going with this._

 _'You must not put him in the same position, do you understand? Our world is finally getting another chance at repair, but should his love override his drive to bring peace...'_

 _'It won't.'_

 _'I imagine he slept with you as well.'_

 _Hinata now hated this woman. 'Please,' she said. 'Stop.'_

 _'He is a young man after all. It was only natural for_ him to _. But, If conception succeeded, you must keep it hidden until peace is brought, or it will be his undoing...You will not put him in that position.'_

 _'Yes...'_

* * *

 **The A and B Episode**

 **LOCATION: LIGHTNING**

 **They run into Bee on their way who tells Naruto he just can't catch a break as he just wants to be on his own, writing rhymes. To the rest of Taka's distaste, Naruto says he'll help with that since they're just on the way to the speak to the Raikage anyway.**

 **Besides with any activity in the Lightning and the Raikage's temper is nearly smothering them and their operations so they might as well confront him to try to convince him to calm down.**

 **A and B drama, they get things sorted out but the Raikage makes it clear he hates Naruto who doesn't care, just wants him to leave B and them alone.**

 **Will have habit of expanding arsenal by "borrowing" scrolls from different villages, which would naturally include the Lightning so they are chased out of there by furious students of B. (total comic relief)**

* * *

 **The Uzumaki Ruins Episode**

 **LOCATION: LAND OF WHIRLPOOLS**

 **On way there, Shisui catches up and together he and Taka briefly stop by the ruins, Naruto reflecting on both his heritage and its ruins.**

 **He swears he will never let a clan or village meets its fate like it again.**

 **Lots of scenes involving training and junk.**

 **Konoha's mask shop? The scene where they lose important artifact to a furious Kabuto, that one mask that can enable him to bring back Orochimaru and the Kage from the Shinigami, so they failed to stop him and now he's totally going to use it against them.**

* * *

 **The Mist Arc**

 **LOCATION: MIST**

 **Naruto wants to try to win the Mizukage over to his side right away, how he captures the flags so to speak. And while nearing the Mist, multiple fights with important undead figures occur. And since I love Haku and Zabuza I want Naruto to be there for their sealing this time.**

 **Suigetsu also deals with his undead brother and successfully seals him. Huge load off of him.**

 **With those two threats brought down, and the other swordsmen, the Mizukage promises her alliance and Suigetsu's pardon, seeing how pure of a character Naruto is and how he (and Karin) affected even Suigetsu.**

* * *

 **The Gaara and Friendship Episode**

 **LOCATION: SAND**

 **Naruto continues on his way to earning the Kage's alliance, naturally heading toward the Sand. Gaara is won over with Temari's persuasion.**

 **Naruto will have a personal chat with him about things, including why he's now where he is. Talking alone on a balcony, he reveals his forearm. On it is a mark he was given during his capture: a sealed brand. The Uchiha crest is literally branded unto his skin along with the character for pretty much 'ownership'. It is originally from a time long ago when the Uchiha and Senju were warring and the Uchiha owned indentured servants. He has kept it hidden all this time because he obviously hates it and even Hinata who he's slept with has not seen it. Talks to Gaara how it's not just that, but being a Jinchuuriki as well. How people view him more as an item. And how sometimes the mark hurts but he's not sure if it's from the seal or if it's really just in his head.**

 **He does not realize that Sasuke was in the proximity, quietly listening the entire time.**

 **At some point he is going to start sensing his dad, seeing his kunai around, and it's all Kabuto's ploy to unnerve him over an extended period of time, and it almost works but multiple chats with Taka and much later Kakashi keep him from freaking out about being caught in a** _ **deathmatch**_ **with his father who he's never seen in real life.**

* * *

 **The Obito Arc**

 **LOCATION: SOUTH OF KONOHA**

 **Yamato is captured by Obito How? Shiho is actually killed and then impersonated by Obito, gaining him valuable access to information and even easy access to the usually surrounded/protected Yamato. This goes on for a short while. Regardless the strange vibes Kakashi gets around her and her sudden interest in Yamato, he urges the Captain to go out for tea or something with her, to get a break for once as he is in extreme need of one. They end up in seclusion where he is then drugged (compliments of Kabuto) and whisked away, Kakashi only catching on, finding her real dead body, arrives on the scene just as it becomes too late. Obito took him for his cells and Naruto goes after them the second he gets word from his messenger bird, saving the captain.**

 **He is injured in the process but does everything he can to protect Yamato, caring more for his safety than his own and even manages to shatter Obito's mask, stripping him of the power to claim he's just a nobody and quite vividly points out that's totally not the case.**

 **Sick of the brutal treatment, Kakashi comes in, ready to help after the shock of seeing Obito's face, and realizes that the Obito he once knew is long gone, he helps Naruto fight back with his Kamui.**

 **They manage to get him on his last legs, and Naruto and he have a thorough talk with him before Naruto offers Kakashi Minato's own blade to kill him with, for his and Minato's sake, having been victims of Obito's lies.**

 **Seeing Obito's sudden and apologetic surrender and realizing that Naruto had lost a hero just as much as he did a friend he lets Naruto do the decapitating blow, finally freeing Obito from the life he had created, granting him a quick death, and in some way getting revenge for the events that led to his parents' death and him becoming a Jinchuuriki.**

 **Before the bystanding Taka, having known it was Kakashi and Naruto's fight, can move on to the last trace of Madara's influence and active member of Akatsuki, the black Zetsu, it escapes.**

 **Naruto and crew leave before Yamato can arrest him. Kakashi commends Yamato for slipping up on that.**

* * *

 **The Death in the Family Episode**

 **LOCATION: BETWEEN THE LAND OF WIND AND LAND OF EARTH**

 **Just when things seem to on right track and he's on his way to the last Kage he finds Juugo...their reunion is hacked short when Kisame finally tracks him down, thirsty for both revenge for "Madara" and the beasts' final capture.**

 **Juugo who was aiming to get Naruto's necklace back and finish off Kisame for him, fights with his berserk curse state under control, sage transforming, one of the reasons he was gone for so long, he was training to control his urges to protect the people around him, until he is suddenly killed right in front of Naruto.**

 **Filled with rage Naruto forgets his original goal to capture Kisame alive and all hope of Kisame being broken from the Akatsuki's hold, and murders him, his first real kill, albeit rightful.**

 **In his grief, he throws the crystal necklace into the valley below.**

 **Juugo's funeral. Taka cremates him and everything that could have his DNA to prevent him from being used by Kabuto. With all proof of Juugo's existence as ashes now, Naruto is at an ultimate low point and just heads to the Rain for a while, shoving his plans to the side, as the reality of it all just burdens him and he's sick of the war and everything else**

* * *

 **End of Art of War.**


	12. The Rest of the Story and Ending

_**THIS IS PLANS FOR THE REST OF MY STORY, IN CASE I DON'T FINISH IT. DO NOT READ IT IF YOU CARE ABOUT WAITING-WHICH I REALLY WOULDN'T RECOMMEND.**_

 _ **The Rest of the Story...Part 3: Song to the Siren**_

 _ **The whole final part of the story was going to have death as a theme much more, thus its title, but really the call of the dead, to Naruto, Sasuke, before they can transition out of that state and into their own lives. This idea honestly spurred on another fic of mine recently, of the same title and I really need to get cracking on it...**_

* * *

 **LOCATION: HIDDEN RAIN VILLAGE/ THE LAND OF FIRE-KONOHA**

 **SONG TO THE SIREN**

 **During Naruto's grieving period in the Rain, Sasuke and Shisui plan to go after Danzo, Sasuke to extract his revenge (to which Shisui discourages but comes along in hopes of retrieving his other eye.)**

 **They infiltrate Roots, destroying its innermost core in the headquarters with some assistance from Sai and reach Danzo. With Karin following closely behind and Suigetsu, their muscle and guard dog, keeping the area clear of intruders.**

 **Subduing the Hokage, Shisui takes back what is his, Karin quickly performing the transfusion while Sasuke begins torturing Danzo for answers on the Uchiha incident.**

 **Shisui quietly, but obviously disapprovingly watches after getting back up and Karin backs away in shock. Even so, Shisui lets his friend's young brother vent his all his burdens and loss out after all this time, knowing it will just keep building up dangerously otherwise.**

 **Sasuke finally decapitates him, freeing Roots but realizes that that doesn't bring his brother back and nothing will ever change the past. Slumped to his knees for a moment, realizing this truth, Shisui helps him up, telling him it's over and their family and friends, especially Itachi, can rest in peace now. Sasuke recovers, face obviously a mask which Shisui is at a loss for words.**

 **Normal Anbu members encircle them, they flee and as Shisui and Suigetsu make it out, Sasuke and Karin runs into Sakura.**

 **Karin realizes that this is the girl Naruto used to have a crush on and backs away, feeling a bit left out as she watches Sakura reach him a little but Sasuke tries to quickly leave, not allowing himself to get close to her again. Sakura insists on joining him and does against his protests.**

( _AN: I must give BriEva credit for Sakura doing this, I hadn't had her in the story until she looked the story plans over and suggested it. So that's why Sakura is in the Prologue, cuz this plot was looked over_ that _long ago. Also, I believe she brought up Danzo's arm having more Sharingan as well so Shisui gets his sight back when I hadn't thought of it originally. See, this is why feedback helps!_ )

* * *

 **Back at base she is introduced to Taka, and is excited to tell Naruto the news about Hinata only to learn he is making himself unreachable and the only way to track him down is to ask Konan and Nagato, as they are close to him.**

 **Before they can consider putting this off so Naruto can have more time to himself to mourn, they learn of in incoming attack and rush to get to the Rain before Kabuto can.**

 **Team Taka get Naruto and talk him out of it with Nagato and Konan's help, reminding him why he's fighting, and that he now has a son and that an army of undead is approaching the Rain. Naruto wards the attackers off using the Bijuu (who cannot be released until peace is brought, else the villages fight over them all over again) BUT**

 **just as the battle is ending, Kushina and Itachi appear. Both are emotional fights.**

 **Itachi is freed from Kabuto's hold but Naruto is unable to keep his mother around, he tells her he has a family now and it's thanks to her being his mom and they say their goodbyes.**

 **Encouraged by both Kushina's words and Itachi's presence Naruto picks back up where he left off, ecstatic to have his team back and a budding family waiting for him back home, a place he can't safely go to without ending the war.**

* * *

 **Itachi has a talk with Sakura about his brother needing someone to keep him on track in a way that Naruto can't.**

 **Itachi also reunites with Shisui and tells him the fate of Konoha, the Uchiha clan, and even their shinobi world is in good hands and it's okay for him to move on, and that he doesn't haven't to feel obligated to keep Sasuke under his watch anymore. He is free to finally have his own life back again, the peaceful one he had always desired, and he decides it's time to move on, leaving things in the next generation's hands. (EXIT SHISUI X3 )**

 **Sakura sits with Sasuke, and he opens up a little now that his purpose for living has been fulfilled, (he got his revenge) and she tells him he can finally live freely now and their relationship climaxes as Sakura shows him they can change his supposedly destined curse of hatred just like he himself can change. (yeah, they have sex.)**

* * *

 **The Madara's Revival Arc**

 **LOCATION: STONE VILLAGE**

 **Before Naruto is able to win the Tsuchikage over, Kabuto appears. Both he and the old Kage are forced to join and that's when Kabuto summons Madara. And Minato, blocking the way to a reanimating Madara, which causes Naruto to struggle between retreating and stopping Madara's rebirth. Against his team's protests, he chooses to retreat.**

 **Recovering, the stubborn Onoki promises to help assist Naruto in bringing Madara down.**

 **But as Taka returns to base, Naruto leaves them behind, immediately heading to Konoha, even with his injuries.**

 **Sakura chases after him, along with Sasuke, desperate to try to heal him as the battle left him in critical condition, leaving Taka before they even realize both her, Sasuke, and Naruto are gone, and they clueless to their location.**

 **THIS IS WHERE THE STORY BEGAN IN THE PROLOGUE, IT WAS A FLASH FORWARD TO THIS MOMENT, BUT THERE'S MORE TO IT THAN JUST NARUTO'S SIDE...**

* * *

 **LOCATION: KONOHA**

 **Fearful of Madara and his immortal form Naruto desperately tries to come up with a way to separate him and Kurama without killing himself in the process...Thus he returns to Konoha who once held allegiance to the Uzumaki clan. He believes that they might still have an archive of scrolls that could help him since he found nothing of the sort at the ruins.**

 **He ends up empty handed upon interrogation and leaves to find Hinata, believing he should be okay, having covered his tracks.**

 **Sakura fails to catch up with him in his desperation but does meet up with Kakashi and a recently freed Sai.**

 **When reuniting with Hinata, their son is taken and he has until dawn to get himself and the Rinnegan to Madara. Or else...**

 **TWIST: Have it revealed Sasuke was actually there the night of Boruto's kidnapping but disappeared from Sakura after racing her there because he saw Madara's clone who speaks to him, setting up a backup plan with Sasuke who he believes is the last of his kin and can be of use with Obito gone. He tells him there is nothing he can do to stop him so he might as well join him. All he has to do is turn Naruto in and he can save himself and make the world a paradise. He'll have his family again and there will be no more leaders to condone massacres and wars. This seemingly muddles Sasuke's intentions as he watches the real Madara escape with Naruto's son in his hands. He had agreed to meet Madara at sunrise.**

* * *

 **Naruto spirits Hinata and Team 7 to Taka's current hideout and they make plans while Karin works on healing Naruto from his serious injuries. They also try to get him to calm down as he is freaking out again about his son being in Madara's hands and Hinata's crying and it's just a mess.**

 **Meanwhile, with Sasuke, Sakura and Kakashi come up with a trap plan involving the vial for the Rinnegan and try to figure out a way to rig it to cause Madara harm. Sasuke spits out nothing they do will work. He's too god-like now.**

 **Kakashi is finally going to get to confront Sasuke in private, saying he knows there's more going on. That he would have seen Madara and Naruto's son yet had done nothing. That the moment he scooped a dying Naruto in his arms years ago he lost faith in him and Sasuke still has yet to earn it back. Sasuke takes this lashing without a word, just stands against the wall with his arms crossed.**

 **While Kakashi and Sai check back up with Naruto, Kakashi also has a heart to heart with Naruto, about him being a dad now, and about how Minato would be proud, but he needs to confront him and Naruto admits that ever since Kabuto summoned him he's been avoiding the battle, and how he was always running away the moment he sensed his presence over the course of their campaigns.**

 **They take off early.**

 **On Naruto's way to the battle, Kakashi and he does confront his dad, Naruto finally ready for him, and his speed outdoes Minato's.**

* * *

 **Then, once at the Valley, all the Kage will end up coming together along with a few other notable shinobi (sadly Neji who might die...or should I let him live?). This includes Danzo as well, as Sasuke was unaware he could use the Sharingan on his arm to come back a few more times.**

 **As the rest of them finish off Kabuto (who will kill Danzo), Naruto, Sasuke, Hinata, Itachi and Sakura and Killer B race towards Madara. Somehow Itachi will get sealed or go bye-bye.**

 **They are separated again. While Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata are focused on Madara, Killer B ( who needs to be separated from Naruto to make Madara's job the less easy) and Sakura focuses on finishing Zetsu off and wins with their insane brute strength before Kaguya can be summoned because I am not adding her in. NO. Just no.**

 **Meanwhile, Sasuke will pull his fake betrayal to Naruto in attempt to win Madara's trust only to try to take him out with his newly learned Izanagi but Madara kills him and while distracted doing so, enables Naruto to take him down in the following opening, but not before losing his dominant hand, and with it the branded seal.**

 **Aaaaaand. It's over.**

 **After waking his son up and giving him to Hinata after holding for the first time, he names his son Boruto, after the surviving bolt that he had taken from the Hyuuga estate as memorabilia**

 **He consoles a pregnant Sakura.**

 **Reflects how the world will never be the same again, the Kage are united, and all traces of Madara purged and that many have died for it, but you can never see the rainbow until the storm passes.**

 **End of Song to the Siren**

* * *

 **EPILOGUE: Hero (Tian xia)**

 _(AN: the title is extremely inspired by one of the few martial arts movies I actually like enough to own on Blu-Ray, Jet Li's Hero. I HIGHLY recommend it, even if you don't like these types of movies because its visuals and music and really the story are amazing. Like it was even directed by a drama director so there's so much focus on the story's format and the colors and everything. Anyway, the word "tian xian" basically means everything under the sky. In the American version, this was translated as "our land" for various reasons but basically in a nutshell pertains to submitting to peace for the better...kind of. They allow this ruler to continue uniting the lands so the fighting can just stop. It's hard to explain without getting into details but the ending just really grabbed me and so I wanted to reflect that by using the title.)_

 **A few years later, as Naruto's going over a photo album with his young son, talking about his "uncle Sasuke" and everyone else who died as heroes, Hinata tells him not to miss out this time. When he asks on what, she tells him they're going to have another baby.**

* * *

If someone else wants to write this and finish the story the way it should be because I feel I can't anymore I give them permission IF

They let me look it over and even add crap in, this includes some minor scenes or touch ups to certain moments and both The Art of War quotes and extremely brief lines from Song to the Siren appropriately.

I also have to approve you in general.

My plans are respected.

You've read either A Game of Shogi and/or The Game Called Shogi, or have asked permission to see the updated plans for the latter which is on my Google Docs. You will also need to work through Google Doc as well so the chapters can be shared easily.

You can't save Juugo or Sasuke. Sorry.

So if there is a good writer out there, don't be afraid to PM me and we can talk. I would like to see this complete but I gave my reasons for quitting. It's been over a year and the story hasn't even gotten out of the first chunk. I just can't do it. I would like to, but don't have the stamina for this story anymore. Just be aware I will still want to overlook everything and keep it on the course I laid out if you do.


End file.
